The Janus Campaign
by kiyone4ever
Summary: The invasion of Ginza didn't just affect Japan. It had repercussions far beyond. As an expedition is sent to the other side, there will be civilization and barbarity on both sides. Will we learn from our dark pasts or repeat the same mistakes?
1. Chapter 1: Tourist Season

I just recently discovered Gate. I find the premise fascinating. In some ways it is brilliant and in others, I find it horribly mishandled. In response, I present this story, which at times I am certain I will horribly mishandle but hope that will still show sparks of brilliance here and there.

I use the anime only and many of my ideas and conclusions stem from observations of the anime only. Certainly, there will be major changes which I hope are for the better.

A final note is that certain changes shown in the first chapter are inspired by Gore Vidal's "The Best Man."

That said, constructive comments are a writer's lifeblood. Read. Review. And hopefully, enjoy!

* * *

 **The Janus Campaign**

Every generation has moments, instants of time that transfix in the human memory. The moments that divide everything into 'before' and 'after'. The moments that men look back and ask: 'Where were you…'

 **'Where were you when Pearl Harbor was bombed?'**

 **'Where were you when President Kennedy was shot?'**

 **'Where were you when the Towers fell?'**

Sometimes these are momentous moments of accomplishment, of celebration.

 **'Where were you when Neil Armstrong first stepped on the moon?'**

 **'Where were you when the Berlin Wall came down?'**

More often we recall the tragedies. The moments when the inconceivable happened.

 **'Where were you when the _Challenger_ blew up?'**

'Where were you….''

 **'Where were you when The Gate opened and the world changed forever?'**

The opening of The Gate was an event that will be remembered both as a day of horrible brutality and terror but also as the day that our entire concept of our universe and our reality was challenged...

* * *

 **Chapter 1: Tourist Season...**

It was two in the morning, Eastern time and President John Merwin was staring grimly down the table in the situation room. This was it. The first real test of an untried President.

 _The 'Accidental President'_ Merwin thought to himself. Going into last summer's convention, It was assumed that either the veteran Secretary of State, William Russell or the Populist Senator Joseph Dirrell would be the party nominee and the presumed victor against a disorganized and fractured opposition. Merwin would never know why Russell had suddenly withdrawn from the race and thrown all of his considerable weight behind Merwin's candidacy and virtually assuring him the Presidency All Russell had ever said was ' _The best man won.'_ And with that, a relatively unknown governor had been set on the road to the nation's highest office. Once in office, Merwin quickly established himself as a leader who knew how to reach across party lines and build consensus. But this was different. This was his first test as a World Leader and like the Presidency itself had come literally out of nowhere. Now in the nerve center of the White House, the President was getting a report via satellite from Ambassador Stevens.

"Tom? What's going on over there? It looks like a total mess from here but I need to know specifically what you and your staff are hearing now."

" _Hostiles are moving on the Government district, Mr. President. You probably have better information than I do on that sir."_

"Mr. President? If I may suggest something?" General Conyers, Commandant of the Marine Corps leaned forward in his seat.

"By all means General."

"We _can_ evacuate our embassy. Using helicopters from Yokosuka and Yokota, we can get our people out, but…"

"But many of the other embassies will probably be overrun." The President concluded.

"Yes, Mr. President. " Conyers agreed. "On the other hand, Our embassy is closest to the Prime Minister's residence and the Diet. We should evacuate the other embassies there and use our choppers to reinforce. We'll be in a much better position to hold out until the Japanese can drive the invaders out."

"Agreed." Merwin turned to the Secretary of State. "Henry, have your people pass the word. Advise every government to pull their people back to our embassy I mean everyone, Henry. The Russians, the Chinese, even the Iranians and the Syrians. Anybody who isn't a Roman wannabe."

"Damn Boxer Rebellion all over again." Army Chief of Staff General Ramsey shook his head.

"Marines held then. We'll do it again now." Conyers avowed.

"That's what I wanted to hear General. Now… What about overland relief?"

"I'm afraid not." The head of the Joint Chiefs warned. "We just don't have the equipment or manpower in place. We can start airlifting Marines from Okinawa but with what we have right now, we're better off sealing our own bases. With your permission, we can start mobilizing our airmobile units but then we have another matter to consider Mr. President."

"Yes?"

"Who is to say that the gate or whatever it is that opened up in Tokyo is a one-off thing? We have to consider the possibility that what we're seeing in Tokyo could happen somewhere else."

"Do you believe it will, General?"

"My gut says no sir. I think what we are seeing is somebody's maximum effort. They saw an opportunity and they went full in. Truth is that this invasion or whatever it is is going to get ground up and spit out. The only question is how many civilians will be lost. Given that, I don't think we are up against an enemy with a strategic plan. That said, it's axiomatic in the military that we consider the worst way we _could_ get hit and take precautions accordingly."

"Point taken. That said, Oscar, I'll be sending you to Capitol Hill." Merwin addressed Vice-President Anderson. "Try to make them feel in the loop enough where they aren't all over the media second-guessing us."

"What about Dirrell?"

"I suppose I'll have to deal with him myself. Sorry, Oscar but we both know that Joseph Dirrell won't take a meeting with Saint Peter when he thinks he deserves the personal attention of the Lord Almighty himself!"

"True enough John. But they tell me such are the burdens of the Presidency."

"But DO tell his populousness that the mountain must call upon Prime Minister Hojo first." Merwin quipped.

"Of course Mr. President."

The President nodded, turning to his National Science Adviser, "Doctor Cole, while this is currently a military and political matter, there is still the question of just what the hell happened this morning. That portal or whatever it is, how does it work? Do we have the means to close it if necessary?Is it a natural phenomenon? If not, then how do we explain the idea that kind of tech is being utilized by people who don't seem to have invented _gunpowder_ yet?"

The worn and wrinkled physicist met the President's speculative gaze calmly. "Obviously, a direct scientific analysis will have to wait until the military and political situation allows but I will start contacting my peers and start at least trying to provide some grounded theories about what we are seeing.I will caution that until we can directly investigate the phenomenon, theories and speculation is all we can offer in the short run."

"That will have to do. Get back to me with recommendations for who and what we need to begin a direct investigation as soon as possible." Merwin stood. "Alright, gentlemen. We have our work cut out for us. Let's get to it."

* * *

In Tokyo, Prime Minister Hojo set the phone down with a sigh. Having been evacuated to a secure location as soon as the magnitude of the events unfolding in Ginza had become apparent, he was already faced with one invasion. The last thing he, his party, and, indeed, many of his countrymen wished to see were reminders of the last one. His military advisors were confident they could handle sword-wielding savages but on the political front, the new American President had outflanked him. No. The Americans couldn't simply evacuate their embassy and wait. They were digging in and encouraging all the other foreign diplomats to join them.

If the American embassy fell, it would be a disaster that his government would be blamed for. If the embassy held, then it would be a victory of 'American Defiance' in the face of overwhelming odds.

Worse was President Merwin's polite but firm suggestion that he should invoke the Mutual Defense Treaty in this matter. Once that bottle was uncorked…

He had calls to make. Damage control to be done.

* * *

At the same time, in the streets of the city known to its inhabitants as Tokyo, the Imperial Legate was concerned. He was not concerned that victory would escape him. The people of this land were sheep! Aside from a few terrified mages who appeared to make up the feeble defenses of this realm and either quickly ran or died or both, they were faced with a weak people who scurried like rats before his troops.

No. He was not afraid of losing. He was concerned with the state of his legions. Perhaps it had been the obvious wealth of this land that had made its people so complacent and unworthy of battle. Perhaps. But his problem was that this obvious wealth was proving a dangerous temptation, especially to his auxiliaries. They had the right of plunder of course, as any conquering army did, but the riches here were tempting his soldiers to loot before he had secured their victory. He understood that the Emperor expected slaves and ample plunder but he was going to have to put some discipline back into his army and he was going to have a very long talk with the young commander of his 5th Legion. The Viscount was an arrogant boy whose political connections and family name had carried him to a place of leadership far in excess of his abilities as a soldier. The supply train had not even fully cleared the Gate and the little whelp was already sending plunder and slaves back for his close friend Prince Zorzal!

 _If he doesn't get control of his men and start acting like a soldier, I don't care who his patrons are! I'll have his hide!_

And there was his other concern: He needed to find a suitable location to camp his supply wagons and the wives and children of his army. Though he would send out foraging parties, he could not count on any meaningful results until he learned more about this land. This campaign having been thrown together much too quickly for his liking with not even a basic scouting before the entire expedition had been fully committed.

 _But it is the Emperor's command. As soldiers, we will adapt and overcome. Tonight I will lie beside my wife and grumble an old soldier's complaints and she will laugh softly 'The familiar rumblings of an old bear!' It will be welcome as it always is._

 _But no time for that now. There is much to be done._ To the West, 7th Legion was pushing on a concentration of what appeared to be the local militia. To the North, his crack 1st and 3rd Legions were preparing to move on what appeared to be a palace of some sort. He needed to have his siege engines brought up. To the east, 6th Legion had occupied what appeared to be a very large market of some kind. Apparently, fishing was a major industry here. That would at least alleviate some of his worries about a local food supply though it wouldn't help with forage for his horses. In the South, 2nd, 4th, and 9th Legions were driving hard with little opposition except for a couple of isolated outposts which had been easily overrun, and a large tower whose defenders had already slain the commander of 2nd Legion and inflicted severe casualties. The Legate was confident that 1st and 3rd Legions could handle the objective in front of them. He needed to take charge of the battle to the South. Once that was in hand he would decide where to direct his supply wagons and summon the commander of the 5th Legion for explanations...

* * *

It was only shortly after that the wagons of the supply train finally cleared the Gate, Octavia, wife of Germanicus, Legate of the Imperial Army, spared a glance at the immense towers around her. This city was like nothing she had ever seen. The closest she could compare it to was possibly Rondel. _Was this a city of wizards?_ She briefly wondered then shook her head. She had work to do. Though of course having no _official_ standing in the Army, as the wife of its commanding Legate, her instructions were treated as if they came from the Legate himself. Officers ignored her 'suggestions' at their peril.

Behind her in the center of the column, the wagons carrying the wives of senior officers and their children, (including her own daughter and sons.) were well protected. In addition to the normal household servants and slaves, she had several Warrior Bunnies guarding the children These were a long time in service to her house, from a small tribe which had nearly been wiped out by more powerful neighbors. She knew they would guard their charges with an unmatched ferocity.

By now, she knew most of the wives well enough that they understood their role. There were a few young women who were new to all of this. She took a personal interest in guiding them. And then there were a few she would simply have to tolerate, such as Lady Agrippina. The brainless, spoiled twit just happened to be the daughter of a prominent Senator and the new wife of the commander of the 8th Legion. Apparently, the twit had insisted on accompanying the army in order to assure herself better pickings of the loot and treasures of this new land. So Octavia had assigned her the task of watching over the scribes who would enumerate and record any treasures taken. _The greedy little idiot thanked me for my consideration. Well, at least it will keep her out of my way._

There were animals that needed to be rendered. She ordered messengers to inquire as to where a source of clean water might be found. Bandages to be readied for the wounded. As soon as her husband sent word as to where the Army would camp, she would send out workers to dig ditches for sanitation. Compared to the work in fighting an army, the task of feeding and caring for that army was a much more difficult task. _Enough of that! Your husband will well deserve his triumph when we return home. And his triumph is yours. Is it not enough, Octavia?_ She chided herself mildly.

As she waited for a messenger from her husband, she was surprised to see soldiers escorting captives toward the Gate. It seemed a completely inappropriate timing. Briefly, she watched them. All in shock, terrified. A particularly pretty girl trying to hold on to a young man but was pulled away from him. It was unlikely they would ever see each other again. For a moment Octavia pitied the girl. Perhaps she would inquire about her later.

In the meantime, a dispatch rider arrived to direct heavy siege engines. The same rider also carried a message directing the supply wagons to move south to where the 6th and 11th Legions were holding along a river. 12th Legion would hold the area around the Gate. But if word from her husband was welcome, Octavia was beginning to become aware of other things that were more worrisome: Overhead, she should have been able to see signs of the dragon riders that served as scouts for the army. She had not seen a sign of them. There were plenty of explanations for this naturally, but it troubled her nonetheless.

* * *

Now, at this point, In any discussion of the Battle of Ginza, it is useful to consider the unique considerations that shaped it. While the invasion was; from any practical point of view, doomed to fail at the start, The success of the 1st Division under General Hazama was by no means assured. While it seems implausible that an army, no matter how large, using swords, spears, longbows, and horse cavalry could defeat a modern army complete with machine guns, tanks, and attack helicopters, we must consider that the Imperial Army that entered Ginza consisted of some twenty legions, totaling 100,000 combatants. General Hazama's 1st Division consisted of only 6,300. Even this is an inaccurate comparison when one considers the true number of troops available at the point of contact was probably closer to 2,000 given that the component 34th and 32nd regiments did not respond out of Camp Nerima, where the 1st Regiment and the core support and logistical formations of 1st Division were based, but from other, more distant bases. The 34th Regiment responding out of Gotenba and the 32nd Regiment coming down from Saitama.

It can be questioned whether the number of JSDF troops engaged could have had any effect on the possible outcomes of the battle, but it can and should be noted that the mere possession of superior technology has not always guaranteed victory in battle. The Battle of Isandlwana in 1879 between the Zulu nation and the British Empire being a prime example, where a force of some 20,000 Zulu's armed mostly with traditional spears attacked a mixed force of some 1,800 British and Colonial troops, inflicting some 60% casualties with a loss of 1,000 of their own.

While near universally, all such victories tend to be short-lived and repaid with devastating retaliatory results, it is clearly possible that under other conditions, the Empire _could_ have overrun and destroyed the 1st Regiment and done considerably greater damage than they actually inflicted during the Battle in Tokyo.

It is to be certain that the JSDF had the overwhelming advantage in technology and sheer firepower but it must be noted that the conditions of the battlefield greatly inhibited the full use of those advantages. Fighting in the streets of the largest city in the world was simply not an environment for heavy divisional artillery and although the use of attack helicopters would effectively blind the Imperial Army's scouting ability, the operation of those helicopters was severely curtailed amid the urban canyons. The great advantage of mobility was also rendered virtually moot as the JSDF's columns pressed through a city in panic. While the relief of the Imperial Palace was a demonstration of the firepower of a modern infantry, much of the fighting was of the ugly, close-in variety at the platoon and squad level.

Conversely, the Imperial Army was operating under equally debilitating circumstances. Circumstances that deprived the Imperials of the ability to concentrate their vastly superior numbers against the JSDF even if they had realized a need to do so,

Unique to the operating conditions of the Imperial Army was that unlike a conventional invasion with a definable target which one could approach along a focused line of advance, the Imperial Army was literally thrust into the center of an unknown enemy. The nature of the Gate and lack of advanced scouting meant that _every_ direction was a possible axis of threat or opportunity. This mandated that the army would be broken into its component legions. As the old saying went:' It proved much easier to break the many branches than the tree itself.'

It may help to consider the Gate as the center of a clock face. By necessity, the 20 legions were evenly deployed to all points, with one legion assigned to cover the Gate itself. But the units deployed from the one o'clock to five O'clock positions quickly reached the west bank of the Sumida river. This being a seemingly secure flank, requiring minimal coverage, only three of the eight legions deployed here were considered necessary to hold. The other five being quickly sent west. In the event, these 25,000 troops would only make matters worse for the Imperial Army as events progressed.

* * *

Hours later, President Merwin set down the hastily written draft of the address he was preparing to give shortly as a very grim General Ramsey entered the Oval Office.

"General, the look on your face tells me things just got worse. The embassy?" Merwin guessed, anticipating the worst.

"The embassy is holding firm. They've held off three assaults so far. Looks like someone's got his drawers in a twist about it too Looks like they're pulling in more troops, preparing for another attack. But that's not what has us worried."

"Let's have it."

"There is a hospital, St. Luke's, is completely surrounded. The University campus next door is occupied. We're looking at thousands of civilians trapped."

"Can we evacuate by helicopter?" Merwin had the unhappy feeling it wouldn't be that easy.

"Not possible."

"No helipad?"

"No helipad. The embassy at least is next to the Akasaka Intercity Tower, which has one. At St. Luke's there is simply no place to even improvise one. The grounds around the hospital are completely overrun."

"That's just great! Any suggestions?"

"No good ones. We can land troops on the other side of the river and commandeer boats. Make a cross-river assault but that will take time. And lord only knows what will happen in the meantime." The General sighed. "At least we got one lucky break."

"What's that?"

"It's August. There's an elementary school next to the university. At least it's summer break."

"Thank God for that." The President agreed.

* * *

On the grounds of the Hamarikyu Gardens, Octavia found the commander of the 6th Legion setting up his command tent.

"It is good to find a place with grass and trees. These towers make me uneasy." 6th Legion's legate admitted to Octavia.

"Indeed. Still, I must admit that this land must have impressive builders."

"All brain and no spine though." The Legate replied. "Will they do nothing to protect their homes even?"

"I noticed much writing here," Octavia observed. " Most of it is strange but I see writing that looks like the High Tongue. Have you found anyone who can speak the High Tongue? That would be very useful."

"We have taken prisoners. I will have the scribes check to see if any speak our tongues."

"If so, treat them well and bring them to me. I would speak with them. And of course, if anyone speaks the Father Tongue or the Learned Tongue, I would see them as well."

"Of course, milady." The Legate replied respectfully.

"I've been accused of a great many things, general. Being a lady is seldom one." She answered wryly.

* * *

 **To Be Continued**


	2. Chapter 2: Ask For Directions

I would like to thank everyone for the generally positive response to the first chapter of this story.

As always, constructive comments are welcome. Thank you.

 **Chapter 2: Ask For Directions**

Gone were the rings under his eyes, the outward signs of worry and stress covered by the veteran army of makeup and wardrobe people. Political leadership was part substance and part appearance and heaven help you if you forgot that. In a time of crisis, the people needed The President, a wise and confident fountain of strength and will, not the mere mortal man who had doubts and worries. In politics, empathy was laudable. Fear and worry were unacceptable.

Displaying a face of firm confidence and determination, President Merwin looked directly ahead and addressed a nation, and a world waiting to see what kind of man America's President was.

 _"Good afternoon. By now most of us have heard the reports of the sudden, unprovoked attack in Tokyo. We know nothing as to who is responsible or what motives they may have, but we know that such aggression must not be left unanswered. In the face of such bald aggression, we cannot think of this as a Japanese problem. It is nothing less than a challenge to all of us who live on this good Earth. Japanese, Americans, Russians, Chinese, French, German, Korean… Whatever our creed, we are all neighbors in a shared community of nations._

 _Make no mistake. Today's unfolding tragedy in Tokyo could just as easily have been in Washington or New York, or Moscow, or London, or Paris, or Beijing. Or perhaps in Singapore, or Nairobi. Some nation where the sheer force of numbers we are witnessing might prove irresistible. Until we know more about this enemy, we must prepare. For both war and peace. Destruction as well as reconciliation._

 _The first step must be to secure the safety of populations now under threat. To that end, and after discussion with the Prime Minister of Japan and in consultation with our allies, I am invoking the Mutual Defense Treaty between ourselves and Japan. It will not be the policy of this government to stand idly by while the citizens of one of our closest allies are under attack. I direct that our armed forces in Japan will coordinate with the Japanese Self-Defense Forces and act promptly and judiciously in securing the safety of lives and the integrity of sovereign soil._

 _But this can only be_ a first _step. It shall be our policy to seek out those who have orchestrated this assault, that they may answer for it. And to take whatever steps are necessary and possible to attain peace and security._

 _But beyond that, I ask all of you who are watching or listening to me now to look beyond the tragedy and terror of this day I want you all to consider for a moment that those who have attacked Japan on this day are of no nation known on Earth. Wherever they come from and however they arrived here, they represent peoples formerly unknown to us._

 _Consider that for a moment: Whatever system of beliefs we may hold, we can no longer hold ourselves as the lump sum of creation. What we choose to do with that knowledge is up to each of us:_

 _We can react either with fear or with hope. It would be natural to be afraid. There are unknown minds and voices outside our cozy little world. It unsettles us. This is perfectly natural._

 _But I implore my fellow citizens of this world to move beyond fear. We no longer sit alone in an empty universe. We must hope. To reach out to those other voices in the cosmos. To teach if we are called upon, to learn if we are fortunate._

 _Let us go forward in dedication and firm conviction. Under the grace of Almighty God, we will secure our righteous victory and then guided by his wisdom we can secure a just and lasting peace._

 _God bless us all._

 _Amen."_

* * *

The official authorization aside, the available US forces were already in motion insofar as there was much that they could do. While Marines assigned to _USS Ronald Reagan_ had been ferried to reinforce the US Embassy, the bulk of American infantry power stationed in Japan; the Marines of 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, were either in Okinawa or aboard the Assault Ship Bonhomme Richard, now conducting maneuvers off Australia.

But wars are fought with what is available and not with what one would wish to have on hand. To that end, the Captains of the ships based at Yokosuka, many of whom had experience patrolling the coast of East Africa where Somali pirates still raided unwary shipping, deployed ship's cutters with detachments of men equipped with M14 battle rifles to proceed up the Sumida river and engage hostiles situated on the west bank of the river.

To the west, lead elements of the Japanese 1st Regiment first made contact with the 7th Legion. General Hazama ordered his lead companies to drive through the enemy without stopping until they reached the Imperial Palace. As much as the imbalance in technology, it was this aggressive charge which caught the 7th Legion off guard, expecting to be the ones attacking, they anticipated swarming and overwhelming a static defense. Hazama's companies cut through the enemy like a chainsaw in a daisy patch, with the general only authorizing his trailing company to break from his column and directly engage the enemy.

The Commander of the 7th Legion died unable to comprehend what was happening as he attempted to lead a charge against the Type 87 armored scout vehicles of Hazama's Reconnaissance Company. Bereft of its commander, 7th Legion disintegrated in chaos and confusion, the individual cohorts acting with neither understanding or cohesion. Some tried to attack. Most froze in place, unable to understand what was happening. At least one Centurion had enough presence of mind to send out messengers to try and alert the rest of the army to this inexplicable new threat. In the end, most of the 7th Legion died at this point, although some survivors tried to escape and remained at large for days in a pattern that would be repeated by other forward legions in the western edge of the combat zone.

Very few soldiers would survive from these units. Especially those legions unfortunate enough to be caught in the path of the 34th Regiment and the 1st Tank Battalion as they charged up from Gotenba.

1st and 3rd Legions, besieging the Imperial Palace, died virtually to a man as the 1st Regiment's main body engaged them outside the Palace walls. The few survivors running back toward the Gate arrived nearly simultaneously with dispatch messengers from the 7th Legion as the five legions Germanicus had released from his eastern reaches came up in support of their brethren. This led to a cascade of chaos and confusion as entire legions now sought to withdraw to the Gate. This included the 5th Legion, still on its self-assigned mission of delivering slaves and other looted materials to the Gate, even in the absence of its commander, who had been summoned by Germanicus.

Only in the Southeastern section of the front were matters not already descending into a total disaster. Future historians would credit Octavia, wife of Germanicus, and several students from St. Luke's University, who managed to respond calmly and who, when presented with the chance for dialogue, kept their wits enough to communicate effectively to Octavia. By informing her of the identity of St. Luke's hospital, they undoubtedly averted a massacre as the 4th Cohort of the 6th Legion was preparing to storm the building. Using the students as intermediaries, Octavia established the hospital as neutral, protected ground, provided that the staff of the hospital agree to tend imperial wounded as well.

This foresight and acts of goodwill worked in the favor of Octavia and the soldiers of 6th Legion as panicked riders began arriving with word of the utter annihilation of three entire legions. In the absence of Germanicus, 6th Legion's commander ordered his troops to dig in. This veteran commander not wishing that his command become part of the general hysteria which seemed to be taking hold. Having lost men to the waterborne attacks along the river, The 6th attempted to engage the attacking boats with ballista but were unable to inflict damage on the rapidly maneuvering small craft. In any case, the ballista crews were also in the effective range of the sailors' M14s.

As another messenger reported in, Octavia urgently sought some word of her husband's whereabouts.

"The Legate was still in command when I left." The messenger answered. "The enemy attack at range. We can't get close enough to kill the wizards with our cold steel! They won't fight us in the open!"

Octavia shook her head. "I think we have very much underestimated those who we would make our enemies, Decurion Tiercellus." She pointed to the hospital. "That place is a healer's guild. I want all our wounded directed there. Do you understand?"

"Yes, ma'am!" The young officer turned his mount about and rode back toward where he had just come.

Octavia turned to the students who had been helping her talk to those in charge of the hospital. "I would ask one of you to go and tell the healers we will have desperate need of them shortly I think. The rest of you stay with my children. My house guards will keep you as safe as anyone here. Forgive me but I must do what I can to save what I can of a hundred thousand sons."

* * *

In the end, many who might have survived died on the streets of Tokyo. Their avenues of either escape or seeking aid barred by the chaos caused by the panic of relatively hale and whole troops from six legions which comprised the bulk of the estimated 35,000 men that would manage to escape Ginza before General Hazama was able to throw the full power of his three regiments and his tanks into the battle and cut off the retreat of several thousand more. The JSDF would capture some 6,000 Imperial troops, mostly in small bands, not including severely wounded prisoners.

But the largest single surrender occurred the evening of August 13th. With communications between St. Luke's Hospital and the outside world still open, Octavia and the commander of 6th Legion were able to parlay the surrender of some 4,800 men of the 6th Legion, some 2,000 from other units, and several hundred casualties, as well as some 4,000 noncombatants. The actual surrender, generated some controversy when the officer designated to receive the surrender, Rear Admiral Gunichi Toyoda, was delayed in arrival. The commander of the 6th Legion thus presented his sword and unit standard to the commander of _USS Shiloh_ 's boat detachment as he landed to help oversee security arrangements. Admiral Toyoda arriving in his best dress white uniform only to find nearly 12,000 non-indigenous detainees already having offered and been granted surrender by a US Navy Senior Lieutenant. The Japanese government soon responded to the awkward turn of events by acknowledging both Lieutenant Bowen's fait accompli, and the complete responsibility of the United States government for the holding, care, and treatment of said detainees.

With the first battle won and lost, all that remained of the Empire's Expeditionary Army rested under watchful eyes and under the stars of a heaven unknown.


	3. Chapter 3: Where Are We Now?

Again, I would like to thank all my readers. Especially those whose comments have helped me improve this story. Thanks!

And now we continue our story.

 **The Janus Campaign**

 **Chapter 3: Where Are We Now?**

The Pacific Allies now found themselves responsible for nearly 20,000 uninvited guests. The sheer logistics of the problem should have been the final nail in the argument of some Japanese Nationalists who even now wanted to declare this situation an 'internal matter of the Japanese people'. This was despite the fact that the fighting had involved non-Japanese, threatened non-Japanese, and with the assault on various embassies, had; in terms of diplomatic covenant, concerned non-Japanese soil. Certainly, the Imperials did not consider themselves to be Japanese.

Even the 6,000 odd prisoners taken by Japanese forces were proving to be problematic. 6,000 prisoners represented an eight percent increase on an already overcrowded Japanese Prison system. It was equally obvious that the Japanese had no experience in holding military prisoners in the past several decades and that they would be under intense scrutiny from the international community. Even domestically, the mere rumor that Prime Minister Hojo's government intended to hold prisoners in former US bases on Okinawa had resulted in very vocal protests by Okinawans. Complicating matters further was the presence of a number of demi-humans among the Imperial troops. In the end, it was decided to hold both these prisoners and the prisoners held by the United States on the island of Io To, known to Americans more famously as Iwo Jima, the island having no current civilian population but having a JSDF outpost and an American airstrip in active operation. The only exceptions were prisoners needing significant medical care and unable to travel. Both the US Army Corps of Engineers and US Navy Seabees quickly deployed men and equipment and, joined by JSDF combat engineers, set to work building the facilities for what came to be known as "Camp Charon'. Prisoners on the volcanic island began to call it by another name., a name that American guards initially understood as ''Hades' Hole', but to the prisoners, this was ' _Hardy's_ Hole'.

To add to security, military prisoners were blindfolded and flown out at night aboard blacked out C-130 transports after having been given a full medical check and a preliminary 'interview'. Once processed and flown to Iwo, the prisoners were separated by recorded rank with separate facilities for housing and dining. The goal was to disorientate the prisoners to facilitate questioning and to reduce mischief among the prisoners as it was anticipated that officers would be the ones most likely to stir up organized trouble. Prisoner schedules were organized by the hut and included daily calisthenics and classes in reading and writing. Those desiring luxuries such as additional or desirable food commodities, spare clothing or bedding could volunteer for work details around the camp. The theory being that idle hands were best avoided.

Naturally, their living spaces, eating areas, indeed all areas accessible to prisoners were under constant electronic eavesdropping and surveillance. Every conversation recorded and saved for analysis.

The noncombatants were a thornier matter. While they had to be detained, they were not enumerated as prisoners. Sending them to Iwo Jima was immediately ruled out as an additional safety concern. Compounding the issue was that there were 4,000 individuals who had no concept of how to live in a modern, technological society. In the end, the US Navy erected temporary accommodations at Fleet Activities Yokosuka while it considered negotiating with Japanese officials to lease and renovate the Negishi Housing Annex.

From the start, it was clear that the full support and cooperation of Legate Germanicus' wife Octavia would be required to maintain a safe and secure environment for both the detainees and the population around them. Fortunately, the revelation that there was at least some shared language helped as her hosts provided a liaison officer.

The officer; one Junior Grade Lieutenant William Taylor, USN, was politely introduced by Captain West, Commander Fleet Activities Yokosuka and Octavia soon found she had inherited another son to watch over and fuss upon as she had been doing ever since her husband had been a ranking centurion. This son was just a bit more unusual than most.

Whether that was true when counted among his own people, Octavia had not yet determined but while his physical appearance was unremarkable with dark brown nearly black straight hair, an average height for a human, with perhaps a little less muscle than her husband might prefer in casting about for their daughter's future husband. Of course, her husband would inevitably find some criminal failing in any young man associated with _his_ daughter but Lucilla was about to turn fourteen. Her prospects for marriage would have been excellent, given the family bloodline and her father's prominence in the Imperial Army. But that had been last week. This week, Octavia and her children were prisoners and her husband's whereabouts unknown to her. In protecting her children's' futures, Octavia would consider a great many things. Better perhaps her daughter might take a husband from among the conquerors than to see her children as slaves.

But at any rate, the Lieutenant's brown eyes bespoke a gentleness that seemed at odds with a warrior. He was a learned young man, a trait which Octavia approved, though it struck her that this society as a whole seemed to be considerably more educated than her own. Despite a complexion not too unlike her husband's, his facial structure seemed closer to the high bloodlines. It was a curious combination to be sure. According to Captain West, Lieutenant Taylor's assignment was to assist Octavia and the other noncombatant 'detainees' (a curious terminology for captives of war.) in adjusting to their new environment and making certain that the needs for their health and well-being were met.

For the moment that meant everyone getting a medical examination and basic vaccinations and immunizations. To allay the possible concerns of Lady Octavia and the other mothers and the fears of the children, Taylor agreed to let one of the doctors perform a full physical, complete with drawing blood and shots on him with Octavia, her children, and her house guards all watching. _Never mind that I have had a fear of needles since childhood_ , Taylor mused to himself.

Still, it paid dividends to see 5-year-old Marcus calmly enduring his examination and shots while Felecia, his warrior bunny guard sternly watched the doctor without incident. Taylor carefully explained to Octavia the concept of vaccination and that among the injections were protections against certain illnesses, showing her a text describing the symptoms of a number of maladies; While Octavia did not know Typhoid or measles by name, she was well aware of their symptoms. And smallpox, while called variola in Popularii, smallpox was a name she recognized. A disease that inspired dread throughout the Empire. _And these people have virtually eliminated it?_ That her children were now protected from its grasp was a matter for no small thanks

Then she addressed a matter that was of personal concern to herself and every other wife present.

"Lieutenant, we must know which of us are still married and which of us are now widows from this foolish venture."

"I can get lists of the names of prisoners held by both my government and the Japanese. That will be a start. After that, there are hundreds of patients currently in the hospital that haven't been identified. I'll need a list of names to check against the prisoner lists. Next, we will start taking the names and descriptions and try to check them against patients. After that, any personal identifiers such as rings, signets of office… anything we can use to check the dead. I have to warn you that the bodies might be hard to identify."

"I am a soldier's wife, whether my husband breathes still or not, Lieutenant. I am no stranger to the ugly sights of war."

"Fair enough. Ma'am." Taylor accepted the truth of Lady Octavia's statement.

"Thank you, Lieutenant. I know you will do everything you can. But for now, let us speak of other things." Octavia managed a genuine smile. "For instance: How did _you_ end up here?"

"I volunteered," Taylor told her mildly. "Your people are a complete mystery to us but there are too many things about you that suggest there has to be a connection to our own history. It can't just be a coincidence. It's a puzzle I couldn't resist!" For once, the fact that he had gained his commission through the NROTC program instead of the Naval Academy had worked in his favor, since he had been able to take more credits in the humanities than an average Annapolis graduate would get. This might not have been how he envisioned his career to go but it felt like the universe had given him a good roll. And he intended to make the most of his luck.

Octavia regarded the young officer with amused interest. "Of course to us, it is your people who are proving so very inscrutable. A mystery for a mystery then! Shall we pierce the fog between us?"

* * *

 **Yokota: Headquarters, United States Forces Japan**

Winston Churchill famously noted that the only thing worse than waging war with allies was waging war without them. There were many in Japan in the days following the Battle in Tokyo who would have disagreed. As for Lieutenant General Hazama, he would note in a reversal of Clausewitz that 'Politics is warfare by other means.'

At any event, exercising command in a coalition tended to be a delicate matter but in the event, the Operation into the Gate was organized under the Commander PacCom as the 'Janus Theater Command'. (The designation 'Janus' for the world beyond the Gate was first applied by an intelligence officer on PacCom's staff and soon gained wide acceptance in opposition to the designation of 'Special Region' applied by the Japanese Government.) This placed the senior US Admiral in the Pacific in overall command of the Allied effort. It was considered an auspicious sign that this officer was the son of an American father and a Japanese mother. As such, he came to symbolize the unity of the Allied command structure in the eyes of the general public.

Directly commanding 'Task Force Janus' was JSDF Lieutenant General Hazama, who had led the counterattack against Germanicus' legions in the Battle of Tokyo. His forces were built primarily around his own tested 1st Division and the 12th Air Assault Brigade. The American contingent consisted initially of the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit and the 1st Brigade Combat Team of the 101st Airborne Division.

The USAF saw little call to deploy 5th Generation air superiority fighters but the Japanese assigned the 301st Tactical Fighter Squadron. The US 16th Special Operations Squadron was assigned to add its AC-130 gunships to the festivities. There obviously seemed to be little need for conventional naval power, but the USN was even at this point considering that some type of brown water capability might at least be called for. Obviously, the Navy Seabees would be of vital need in the coming campaign.

Although there would be small contingents from other nations, these formations would provide the majority of allied fighting power. Thus, it was here at Yokota, in front of PacCom, designated, Supreme Commander Allied Forces that General Hazama laid out his plan for penetrating beyond the Gate.

"Our first concern; of course, is that we have the same lack of intelligence that seems to have hindered the enemy's own invasion. We estimate that some 30 to 40 thousand enemy troops escaped. I would not want to have them waiting for us the minute we cross to their side. We propose to conduct a very basic reconnaissance using unmanned remote vehicles. Once we at least have a general picture of the ground, we can formulate a plan to take and hold the other side of the Gate."

"Assuming we don't have a signal disruption when the drones transit." Colonel Emerson, the Commander of the 31st MEU noted.

"It is a possibility," Hazama admitted. Given his druthers, he would have already conducted such scouting. The problem was that containment was an absolute priority. Construction of the fences, checkpoints, and the massive dome that would become iconic was already well underway. It was not an environment conducive to drone operations, and while it pained the General to know that there were fellow Japanese taken and trapped on the other side of that Gate, they had to make sure that this side of the Gate was secured before pushing on to the other side. "But we have to start somewhere. At any rate, we have to seize the hub and quickly establish a ring of firebases to hold our perimeter until we can fully deploy and dig in. Until we can get our main base up and running, we will be at our most vulnerable. Casualties may be heavy."

"No one said our line of work was guaranteed to be safe," Emerson remarked.

ComPac nodded in grim agreement. "Let us only pray that if we must spend good men's lives in battle, that those lives are not needlessly wasted."


	4. Chapter 4: The Most Dangerous Weapons

**Chapter 4: The Most Dangerous Weapons and Wars of Words**

Camp Augustus: Yokosuka, Japan

 _When I get leave,_ William Taylor idly thought, _the first thing I am going to do is go get authentic Brooklyn style pizza. No. First a breakfast of pancakes with a huge slab of ham or bacon, lots of bacon and hash browns! Screw the consequences!_ Not that the Saderans, _Lady Octavia said their Capital city was called Sadera, although she didn't refer to the Empire as anything other than 'The Empire'_ , didn't set a good table to those they considered 'friend'. Once their livestock and other foodstuffs had passed inspection and arrangements had been made so they could cook without accidentally burning anything down, they seemed much more at ease than with the stuff that was being catered in. _But then again, who would want to face the rest of their life on a diet of MREs, known commonly as Meals Rejected by Everyone_. Last night's chicken had been especially nice, with a flavor that was definitely NOT just like chicken… _or at least not like the mass produced birds that dominated the American market. Still, there's nothing like the taste of home. A taste of home. I may not be home but at least I know I'll get back there someday._

Sharing a meal was a good way to get to know someone and if he really wanted these people to trust him, he had to be among them, breaking bread, taking quarters on premise and making his door available whenever needed.

Of course, the Saderans didn't do breakfast per se, only the noon meal and the evening meal with small meals throughout the day. So after a shower, shave, and donning his uniform, Taylor headed for Senior Chief Richardson's office to check the overnight duty log and grab an apple danish before going to see Lady Octavia.

"Ah! Good Morning Lieutenant," Octavia greeted pleasantly as her Majordomo escorted Lieutenant Taylor into the space she was using as her sitting room, her daughter sat by the window, reading to her brothers.

Taylor was starting to acclimate to the oddities of Janian English. The oddest part was that there was Janian English. Latin, Greek, some sort of mutation of one or both? That was not a complete surprise considering an army looking and behaving like ancient Romans, but a recognizable form of _English_? It had been so completely unexpected. The two branches of the language seemed to have diverged sometime in the past six hundred years but still drifting in the same general direction. It was one of many little curiosities that his superiors wanted him to find an explanation for. Fortunately, it seemed simpler to go from American English to Janian than the reverse but Octavia and her daughter had both demonstrated that they had no fear of a language that routinely dragged other tongues into dark alleys and mugged them for vocabulary as they both eagerly devoured any books he brought them. Interestingly, while Shakespeare was completely new to them, _Chaucer_ was not only familiar to them but Octavia's daughter, Lucilla actually brought out a family copy of his works to compare it with one Taylor had provided.

"Good morning, ma'am, I trust you slept well?"

"Quite comfortably, all things considered. Lieutenant," Octavia answered, rising to greet him and burying behind the calm facade of her visage, the dread, and nightmares that had been weighing on her ever since the surrender and gestured to a chair across from her. "Please sit? Before we discuss today's business, there is something I must ask you."

Taylor took the indicated seat across from Octavia, who then properly reseated herself.

"Lieutenant, what will become of my children?" Octavia asked quietly.

Taylor looked at her confused. "What do you mean?"

Octavia sighed. "I have been a soldier's wife for many years and I have seen many a campaign. Perhaps the Empire… Perhaps we have earned this humbling. But I will do anything to save my children from a life in chains. Lucilla is of age to marry…"

Taken aback, Taylor raised a hand in protest. "Please. ma'am, I want you to listen to me: I swear to you that no one is going to put your children into slavery. We don't do things like that. All that will happen is your family will stay here until such time as our governments reach an agreement and then you'll go home. I swear on my honor." He faced her squarely. "Besides, in my country, your daughter is legally still too young to marry. And a good thing because if she is as formidable as her mother, then the world will need _at least_ another couple of years to be ready for _her_!" He added with a wry smile.

Octavia blinked. This world was; indeed, strange. "She might not be willing to wait that long. At least not for just any man. She _might_ consider waiting for a certain man." She teased, feeling a flood of relief upon her.

He glanced nervously over at Lucilla, who merely turned a glance of her own and nodded politely with a smile and returned to the story she was reading to her brothers. "At any rate, I have some news on the lists you gave me. "

"Yes?" Octavia felt herself tense.

"As I said, identifying the dead will take time and in some cases if at all may take more exotic means that we have at our disposal." Bodies mutilated by machine gun fire and high explosives were usually hard to identify. DNA testing would be necessary in many cases, provided of course that the soldier in question had any blood kin that could be tested. "That aside, I can tell you that your husband is alive. I don't have the details but he was wounded while leading an attack on our embassy. He's alive and recovering aboard the hospital ship _Mercy_."

"May my children and I go see him?"

"I will see what I can do. He is still a prisoner of war." Taylor reminded.

"Of course, I could not ask more of you Lieutenant. Still, this is wonderful news for myself and my family."

"I'm glad I could deliver it."

* * *

 **Yokota, Headquarters: Janus Theater Command.**

Scouting the area beyond the gate proved more involved than originally expected. The first remote scout looked akin to one of the Martian remote rovers, albeit built on the cheap. It had simple programming to return back through the Gate either when its battery power reached fifty percent or whenever the drone registered damage. The drone had low-light, infrared, and normal video cameras and redundant radio antennae to allow for manual operator control and telemetry along with a home weather station kit bolted on.

On September 12, the scout, nicknamed 'Peepers', rolled through the Gate. At first, the mission seemed to go well. Radio signals between the rover and its handlers remained steady. As operators ran a systems check. all seemed well until two hours into the mission, when contact was suddenly lost. Three hours later, 'Peepers' weakly limped back through the Gate. Analysis later showed that an orc apparently took offense at the odd creature wandering around and decided to bash it with a heavy club. Despite the brutal treatment at the hands of the enemy. "Peepers' survived its encounter beyond the Gate.

Still, the intelligence was vital if the Allies wished to prevent the same thing from happening to the first wave of troops they intended to deploy through the Gate. UAVs had greater success. Their overhead camera images providing both topographical data as well as identifying enemy defenses and troop concentrations, though at least one came back bearing the scars of an encounter with a dragon of some sort. As for 'Peepers's role on the ground, smaller versions each carrying but one or two sensors had better luck in not attracting unwanted attention. With their data in hand, General Hazama's staff began drawing up plans for the initial assault. While on the other side, the Empire made plans of its own.

In the month since the abortive invasion through the Gate, two separate battles were waged around Alnus Hill and in Sadera itself. The first battle was a struggle by two legions under Germanicus's command that he had prudently left behind almost as an afterthought in case of total disaster. Now that event had apparently come to pass and the commander of these troops, Legate Titian quickly asserted his authority as Second in command to Germanicus himself, to stop the headlong flight of Imperial Troops from the battle beyond the Gate. In a show of his determination, Titian ordered his two legions to block the route of the fleeing 14th Legion and threatened to attack if the 14th did not stand down. The panicked exodus stopped. In a demonstration of his resolve, he relieved the commander of the 14th of his post and then proceeded to subject the legion to Decimation. The execution of 500 legionnaires apparently having the desired effect as discipline was restored in the fleeing troops and Titian, now possessing over 40,000 men, began to interview the survivors for his report and to construct defenses against an anticipated counter- assault.

The other battle was a political battle in which the veteran soldier Titian was completely outmatched. Senator and Mage Godasen had been responsible for the project to stabilize the Gate and based upon a very few abduction raids conducted in the months prior had advised Emperor Molto that a campaign should be assembled. He had also lobbied for overall command of the campaign but was passed over in favor of the vastly more experienced Germanicus. Godasen made no secret of his dislike for Germanicus or for Titian and proceeded to undermine Titian's command by denying them necessary supplies and by reporting that the apparent failure of the invasion was a result of a failure of nerve by its commander and downplaying as inherently ludicrous, the reports of massed armies of mages who had wiped out two-thirds of the army. This manipulation was also based partly onGodasen's conviction that it would be better to allow any enemy to proceed unimpeded through the Gate to where he could surround and destroy them in the open. Due to this political assault, Titian found he could only support 15,000 troops on Alnus, reducing his fighting force by sixty percent. But even this force should have been quite formidable to any opponent trying to clear an army through the Gate. Had Titian still been in command of 40,000 troops at the time General Hazama's force attacked, the contest could have ended far differently butGodasen's machinations had forced him to dismiss all but three legions for lack of provender only days before General Hazama's tanks came thundering out of the Gate. Though not before having contributed weeks of backbreaking labor fortifying Titian's defenses

* * *

"We will need to strike with unparalleled speed and violence," Hazama noted. "We have tracked the Janian Day-Night cycle. About two hours before dawn will be our optimum time to attack. All our tanks will be carrying a 90% load out of M908 Obstacle Defeating and cannister rounds for the initial assault. We do not expect many targets requiring armor piercing rounds."

"We must quickly disrupt the first line defenses and scatter them. We will open a perimeter with tanks and light assault vehicles large enough to start deploying our field guns. Please note that the use of phosphorous munitions has been forbidden at this time." Hazama looked to a short squat grim faced American Colonel in the back of the room. "Colonel Potter, we'll need your 407th Combat Support Hospital ready to set up as quickly as possible. We'll try to give you enough room to work but the enemy might not cooperate. We know that once identified, the enemy treated St. Luke's Hospital as neutral ground but don't expect the same consideration here."

"Understood General," The old veteran answered. He'd seen four previous conflicts and fervently hoped this one would be his last. He had a few concerns he needed to discuss with the General but they would have to hold until later. Specifically, a Combat Support Hospital had about 250 beds. This was fewer than previous configurations as it was assumed there would always be sufficient airlift capacity to evacuate recovering patients elsewhere. That would not be the case here, so available bed space would need to be increased accordingly.

In the meantime, Hazama continued his briefing.

"On the issue of prisoners: Again, we have no clear picture on how our enemies will react if backed into a hopeless situation, assuming they even recognize it as such. In our experiences during the Battle in Tokyo, some enemy acted in a rational manner and surrendered willingly. Others were completely fanatical and attempted to kill soldiers offering them quarter. I will tell all of you and for you to tell your men, that you are to protect themselves and fellow Allied troops first! If there is even a shred of doubt whether an enemy will surrender and comply with instructions, then you must act as if they are still belligerents."

Near the front of the room, a Lt. Colonel wearing the patch of the 101st Airborne raised his hand.

"General, complying with instructions assumes the ability to communicate with the enemy. None of us speak Hobbit."

A few light laughs went up, mainly among the Americans. General Hazama smiled.

"We have identified a number of languages in use. A few speak clearly recognizable Greek. Many of those identified as from their nobility speak a form of English, but the most common language is a strain of the Latin family. It seems somewhere mixed between Latin, Italian, and French. We have linguists compiling phrase-books and those should be distributed by the end of the week…."

 **To Be Continued.**


	5. Chapter 5: Eye of the Needle

**Chapter 5: Eye of the Needle**

 **Alnus Hill**

Legate Titian calmly walked his lines as was his habit. It was his own granted reward for toiling with the politics he was forced to confront on a nearly constant basis. The inner ring had been completed to his specifications: Sloping embankments of earth dropped off to a nearly sheer thirty-foot drop. At the base, a trench had been dug and partially filled with tar and pitch. He had lit torches placed every ten feet to turn the trench into a veritable Phlegethon on command. A ring of archers stood on constant watch. Parapets lined the only direct route to the Gate and eight spotting towers circled the inner perimeter. Caltrops liberally salted the ground on the other side of the trench.

But as satisfactory as Titian found this portion of his defenses, he was less than pleased with the progress of the successive layers and the main reason for this dissatisfaction was now strolling toward him with a rather smug look.

"Senator." Titian greeted coolly, using Godasen's political title rather than his military rank.

"Legate. I see your troops are being kept busy." The Senator noted mildly, glancing about.

"Insofar as I have men and the materials I need. I have neither adequate stone, nor concrete, nor engineers, nor enough wood. The rations which I requested are not arriving so I am forced to scrounge for provender to keep an adequate enough supply of labor long enough to compensate for all the other commodities to which I am being denied."

"Well, you know I have discussed your requests and your situation at length with the Senate and the Emperor himself. Both the Senate and His Majesty feel you are being a bit alarmist." Godasen informed oily. "By the way." He added as if an afterthought, "How is the morale of your troops? I can only imagine how they must feel: Being made to cower behind earthen works before the Gate that is the doorway to the riches and conquests granted us by the Gods."

Titian ignored the prodding. "You speak as though the Gods themselves entrust you with their plans."

The Senator looked at him curiously. "You sound as if you have no faith in the Gods."

"The Gods will do as they please, our own desires heedless," Titian replied. "I place my faith in the exertions of men and little faith in those save mine own." He pointed toward the Gate. "They will come. Spies, their contraptions, eyes upon us. They will come."

Godasen smiled brightly. "Then let them! The sooner they come! Let them come! I have seen the testimony. Our enemies hide and fight from cover using magic to compensate for their weakness and cowardice in arms; The sooner their armies come, the sooner we will surround them and destroy them in the open. Then we will return to our duty."

"Our duty?"

"To govern the nations in power; to dictate their rule in peace; to raise up the peoples we have conquered and throw down the proud who resist." Godasen paraphrased the ancient work.

"It seems our enemies do not see the need to be raised up, nor for us to dictate their rule."

The pleasantness on the Senator's face faded. "Then we must throw them down. Let them come!"

"When they come," Titian addressed Godasen squarely. "We must destroy them upon this hill. We will defeat them here or we will lose the war."

"I find your attitude rather defeatist. The Senator hissed.

"It is always the prerogative of the Emperor and the Senate to remove me from command here," Titian noted. "Of course, if I am to be relieved then I have no place here. In that happy event, I will need to return to the Capital and in the event that Sacred Alnus falls to the enemy, then it will be my regretful duty to tell His Majesty how my efforts to avert such a disgrace were undermined."

The frustration on Godasen's face was clearly evident. He wished so dearly to send Titian away. The prize of a glorious victory he wished for himself alone but the penalty for failure would equally be his. No, it was best if Titian stayed here. When the enemy was defeated, Godasen would make certain it was his version of events that were reported to the Senate and His Majesty.

And if the unthinkable happened, then Godasen would make certain that the blame was laid on Titian's head and not his own. Perhaps, with luck, the enemy would favor Godasen and remove the Legate permanently.

"I will leave you to your work Legate," Godasen said at last.

Titian watched the Senator leave. He could do the same calculations in his head that Godasen could. The Senator would either claim victory or condemn him for any defeat. Such considerations were immaterial. Titian was a devoted soldier of the Empire and he would do whatever was necessary and possible to protect it.

In the coming days, his ingenuity and skill would be severely tested.

* * *

 **Camp Augustus**

Lady Octavia had been granted permission to see her husband the afternoon following making her request of Lieutenant Taylor. In fact, it seemed that the Lieutenant's superiors couldn't leap fast enough for the opportunity such an act of goodwill might provide. The arrangement was quickly made for Lieutenant Taylor to take Lady Octavia and her children aboard _USNS Mercy_ , accompanied by a single unarmed retainer. They would be accompanied by three Marine guards and a driver, with two more sentries posted on Germanicus's door. This was both as a precaution, especially in regard to the Warrior Bunny, whose presence was deemed vital for Octavia in regards to the safety of her children, and to provide maximum safety for the Legate's family.

The carefully monitored visit was a major morale boost to both Germanicus and his relief of his family's safety and their humane treatment did much to improve the legate's health and helped him form a favorable view of his captors that would pay handsome dividends down the line.

"Thank you again, Lieutenant, "Octavia told Taylor the next day. "Being able to see my husband and hear his voice has taken a tremendous weight from my spirit. And the children as well, This morning is the first morning since we arrived that I've seen Antonius and Marcus playing."

"Oh?"

Octavia nodded. "And Lucilla! She's filled with life today! She reminds me of myself at her age."

"Your daughter has already struck me as being very formidable," Taylor noted.

"Yes, but until today much of the fire in her heart had faded. She's much more herself again now!" Octavia chuckled. "She's a very spirited girl"

 _She's saying that up to now, that girl has been sedate? Heaven help the man she sets a fancy to!_ Taylor offered up in mental prayer. "It seems your husband certainly appreciated the lunch you brought him," Taylor noted as a means of changing the subject just slightly, "A touch of home. I certainly can't fault him for that. I think they make hospital cooking as bland and tasteless as possible to encourage people to get better just to escape the food."

'Speaking of which," Octavia smirked. "I'm told you have arranged a feast of traditional American foods for this evening?"

"Well, normally we hold the feast of Thanksgiving in November, but by the time November rolls around, it will be almost impossible for me to get five hundred turkeys and the associated fixing. So under the circumstances, I figured we would just hold the feast now and celebrate what your people are thankful for instead." Taylor left unmentioned the rumors circulating that some of the people assigned to Camp Augustus might be reassigned once the invasion went through, they would get to enjoy Thanksgiving with a family, even if not their own.

"And just what is a 'turkey'?" Lady Octavia asked.

"A large fowl, bigger than chickens, ducks, or geese and that goes well with mashed potatoes and cranberry sauce."

"And something about a 'movie'? What is that?"

"Well, imagine if you went to a play and a scribe wrote down everything that happened,"Taylor told her. "Now imagine that instead of writing down words to describe everything, that the scribe could make a record of the sounds and the sight of the performers so that you could see that same performance of that play later. Especially convenient if the play had so many characters that you could only hope to get them to act it out once.."

"I see." Octavia nodded. Admittedly it seemed like more magic but was undoubtedly more of the 'technology' that the people of this world used in place of magic. "And what is this movie about?"

Taylor had given careful consideration to showing these people any sort of contemporary media. Books were easy enough. Many of the noble ladies, especially Lady Octavia and her daughter, devoured almost any books he brought them. He was carefully working music up from classical. But television and movies had been a cultural minefield of epic proportions. Taylor wanted something that would speak to his nation's highest ideals and aspirations, even if those ideals were not always met. He had wanted to show them _Gettysburg_ , but Chief Richardson had respectfully reminded the young officer that their guests would not have the same frame of reference as an American and maybe it would be better to ease them in with something more relatable. After a time, he opted for Richard Harris in 'Camelot'.

"It's about a legendary warrior King named Arthur who tries to rule his lands with a fair and just hand but his kingdom falls because of pride, ambition, and forbidden love."

"An interesting choice."

"Wise man say that young officer who listens to his Chiefs go farther than an officer with ears closed." He replied

"I was right!" Octavia teased gently. "My new son is a warrior and a philosopher."

Taylor blushed a bit at that. "In the meantime, I am told you had an interesting morning?"

"Ah, yes. Lady Agrippina has been in great distress over finding out that rather than dying on the field of battle, her dashing new husband and his entire legion fled for the Gate and abandoned her."

"Ouch!" Taylor winced at that. Then she noticed Octavia smirking.

"She was devastated at first but now she has a very healthy anger burning. For a young lady I expected to be little more than a spoiled and dull bore, she has quite a creative imagination! She now has fire and a purpose and I will provide her with guidance." She noticed a touch of alarm on Taylor's face. "Oh! Don't worry! I can guarantee that the only one who has anything to truly fear is Legate Marius."

"Then before I go check on the preparations for tonight's Thanksgiving feast, allow me to offer up a prayer of thanks that I am not he!"

"By all means, Lieutenant! By all means!" Octavia agreed.

* * *

 **Alnus Hill**

A few days later, Janus Theater Command decided it was finally time to move.

On the other side of the Gate, another unremarkable night was passing for the troops still under Titian's command. What had stood at nearly 45,000 men was now 15,000. Most of the other troops were now encamped twenty miles away with Senator Godasen's main body, which now numbered 130,000 strong. But Godasen, much like Earth's General Haig, a century before him, had failed to understand that the relative strength of the opposing armies was not in numbers of men, but in the sheer power and flexibility of those armies. One cannot say that, in fact, Legate Titian fully understood the math involved himself but he had understood enough to conclude that an open field engagement was the last thing he wanted in a confrontation with his other-worldly enemies.

To that end, Titian's men continued to work on expanding the defenses around the Gate. All those men not standing the walls were put to work entrenching, building barricades, and scrounging for resources. But even the most dedicated soldiers simply had to sleep at some time.

This was the case for Titian and 13,000 of his men when the clock ticked down to H-Hour on Operation Jupiter. Most of the remainder were archers, spotters, and torchbearers waiting for dawn to come so they could be relieved after another long and tedious night on the wall. The first inkling of warning any of these men had was a growing rumble coming from the Gate. Senior Centurion Nerva moved with admirable swiftness, not hesitating in the slightest to order an alarm sounded, nor in ordering the torchbearers to fire the trench surrounding the Gate. Any assault by infantry, even one equipped with modern weapons, would have taken significant casualties trying to fight its way out but against armor and motorized infantry, slings and arrows and spears would be little avail.

This is not to say that it was a bloodless battle for the Pacific Allies. The burning pitch surrounding the oncoming invaders played havoc with both low-light vision and infra-red spotting. Also, Sergeant Ieyasu Hashimoto was killed as he attempted to clear Imperial troops from atop their parapets with the 12,7 mm machine gun mounted on his Type 74 tank. Even as a score of Imperials fell torn apart by Hashimoto's bullets, the Sergeant was hit with an arrow in his throat, an unlucky shot in a barrage of arrows fired desperately by the defenders. His fellow tankers avenged his death many times over as M-908 anti-obstacle rounds pounded the earthworks, collapsing large sections and demolishing a ballista as its crew tried futilely to engage the armor behemoths advancing on them. Some tanks then switching to cannister rounds with awful effect as meantime, Legate Titian tried desperately to assemble his men and formulate a response.

Dispatching riders to alert Godasen's main army, Titian dispatched mages to fan the flames of the inner trench line. These auxiliaries were cut down, caught in a conflict, not of their making and their understanding. Knowing that his enemies would surely move toward the only clear access in his defenses, Titian rallied cavalry to meet them only to be killed, sword in hand as he charged headlong into the gap, a hundred riders behind him all wiped out as a Type 10 tank fired cannister shot into their massed ranks.

It was at this point that bereft of its commander, Titian's army broke. Some men fought in suicidal charges, while other men fought from the incomplete secondary and tertiary defenses. Some ran in whatever direction they could and others simply froze and huddled where they were. Some too frightened, some too tired, and others simply broken.

By dawn, the fighting was reduced to infantry squads flushing holdouts out of the smashed fortifications and medics sorting through the human carnage. This phase of operations proved much more dangerous to the Allied troops than the actual battle had been. More than a few wounds and fatalities were incurred in this manner.

Meanwhile, some twenty miles away, Senator Godasen had received word of the battle and news of Titian's demise. Still, Godasen declined to move on Alnus. Convinced of both his numerical and moral superiority, Godasen waited, hoping to draw the enemy out into the open on ground of his choosing, unaware that the Empire had already lost its best chance to stop the Allied invasion.


	6. Chapter 6: Mulberrys and Bridges

****Chapter 6: Mulberrys and Bridges****

 **Alnus Hill, Temporary HeadQuarters: Task Force Janus**

In the trailer that was serving as General Hazama's temporary headquarters, Hazama held an emergency meeting of his senior commanders. On the table before them under a plexiglass overlay was an enlarged overhead photo of the surrounding area as seen from UAV surveillance drones.

Hazama marked their own position with a black grease pen. He then drew a large red circle to their east. "As we know, there is a large army encamped 20 miles east of us. A rough estimate puts it at well over 100,000 men. As we have not been able to conduct a reconnaissance mission since insertion, we don't know whether that army is on the move yet or not."

"While it would be nice if they just sat there and waited for us to blow them off the map, I think we have to predicate our actions on the assumption that they're already on the move." Marine Colonel Emerson concluded.

"Agreed." Hazama nodded. "Recommendations?"

Colonel Lowe, commanding the 1st Brigade Combat Team- 'Bastogne' of the 101st Airborne Division scowled. "My preference would be to hit them head-on. Unfortunately, our logistics are a mess. Air support is zilch, our artillery is towed only and our vehicles will have to rely on the fuel in their tanks for the moment."

"They've got a huge army."Emerson pointed out. "If they split their force…"

"Whatever we do, we have to keep them off 'Gibraltar'" Lowe said, using the code designation of what the locals called Alnus Hill. "The engineers need time to get POLE operational and then we can get our helicopters operational." POLE stood for Pipe Operational Logistic Express and once connected would maintain a stable flow of gasoline, aviation gas, and diesel fuel, the lifeblood of a modern military. There also being a pneumatic tube for the delivery of other cargo. The intent was to reduce demand for vehicles transiting the Gate.

Colonel Kengun grunted in agreement "The sooner my helicopters can fly, the better for all of us."

"Especially since we're effectively blind without them," Lowe added.

"Which again only underscores our problems." Hazama reminded them. "I need solutions!"

"We should use a squad of LAVs to scout whether their army has begun moving. Then we can bring up our artillery." Colonel Kamo advised.

Hazama frowned in thought. "Agreed, but remind them to avoid being drawn into a standing action. Without air support and with most of our troops still required to cover Gibraltar, you cannot afford to attempt to fight 100-1 odds. As primitive as their equipment and doctrine may be, these are still professional soldiers. We will not take them lightly. We want to encourage them to be cautious of attacking us head on while we get ourselves sorted out. We are not seeking a general engagement at this time."

Colonel Kamo frowned unhappily at this. He was confident in his troops' ability to handle an army of primitives. He had been both pleased and frustrated at the Battle in Tokyo. Pleased at how easily his men had routed an army nearly as big as this one but frustrated that while General Hazama had led the main force of the division out of Nerima to great glory, Kamo's role had amounted to little more than clean up after pushing down from Saitama with the 32nd Regiment. With General Hazama's orders, there would be little chance of a decisive glory. Hazama continued, unaware of his subordinate's thoughts.

"In the meantime, we'll start setting up forward observation bases. I don't want to chance another army surprising us. We have no concrete intelligence on how many men the enemy can field. This may be the bulk of their army but if it isn't, I have no intention of being surprised." Hazama indicated a ring of smaller hills around Gibraltar. "Colonel Emerson, I want you to deploy a company each to these three hills." He indicated three hills covering them to the north. "Colonel Lowe, you will place a company on each of these three hills to the south."

The two Americans acknowledged their instructions.

"I will be meeting with Commander Miller for a briefing on our construction teams," Hazama told them. "Dismissed."

* * *

 **Command Tent: Grand Imperial Army, 20 miles east of Alnus Hill**

"We have had three more riders come in from Alnus!" General Galba jabbed a finger at the map. "May we now consider it _confirmed_ that Alnus has fallen to the enemy?" He demanded of Senator Godasen. "Or do you still consider it hysteria?" The veteran cavalry commander demanded in disdain. The Senator had made it quite clear the "The Gods" would never allow sacred Alnus to fall into barbarian hands and that they were merely waiting for calmer heads to prevail before they entered the Gate to avenge their brothers and conquer the godless barbarians.

Godasen flushed darkly. He was being openly mocked now. _Damn Titian and whatever Fate had allowed this sacrilege to happen!_ "Yes, reluctantly I must conclude that Legate Titian has failed in his mission and allowed Sacred Alnus Hill to be taken."

"Then we must march in strength NOW!" Galba insisted, to the approval of the other commanders.

Godasen suppressed a grimace. That was not the battle he had wanted to fight. He wanted to fight an open battle where he could surround and annihilate his enemy, not a close assault on Alnus Hill where the enemy might slip back through the Gate and deny his victory. Unfortunately, the longer he waited here, the more disaffection he would engender from his subordinates. There was no choice.

"Very well! The Army will march to Alnus at once!"

"To Alnus!" His generals raised their fists in anticipation.

* * *

 **Camp Augustus**

Lady Octavia noted that there was definitely a change in her people this morning. Last night's feast had been a wonderful move! Her people were more at ease around their 'hosts', who; in turn, though still professional, seemed a bit more at ease around them. All but one:

"Lieutenant? There is something troubling you." It was a statement, not a question. "Have out with it!" Although she was smiling, this was not a request but a command to one she considered as part of her family.

"What gave me away?" Taylor asked.

"For starters, last night: When someone presents a story, they usually don't tend to look either bored or perplexed by it. During last night's 'movie', you appeared to be both at times. That tells me you may know tales of this King Arthur, but you did not know _that_ telling at all. That wasn't what you originally planned to present, was it?" She looked at him with her best 'motherly' look.

"I guess if I was going to make an emergency substitution, I should have shown 'Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves'."

"My son, You are babbling."

Taylor sighed. "Alright. I originally planned to show you a movie called 'Gettysburg'. It's about a battle in my country's Civil War. Probably the single most important battle in that war. I wanted to show you a bit about who we Americans are."

"And why didn't you?"

"Because Chief Richardson was right. A movie wasn't the best way to make the points I had in mind."

"Some things are better simply stated rather than talked around by parable," Octavia told him. "Now what is so significant that you let it eat at you rather than discuss it openly?"

"Alright. Slavery. To your people, it's the normal way of things. To mine it is one of the most vile institutions ever created."

"Go on," Octavia commanded. _That's why he was so shocked when I worried that my children would be made slaves. Why would I not? We brought slaves with us, The Empire wages war to obtain them. And yet, we have not seen a single slave here._

"It is a horrible thing to us and yet…"

"And yet I have brought such a thing into your sight as if it were no more than our tunics.' She placed a kind hand on his shoulder. "I do wish you had only said this much sooner."

"If you had been a monster, it would have been easy to yell at you and tell you how completely messed up you and your whole civilization were. But you've been a considerate, rational, and compassionate person. And seriously? What would the yelling have accomplished? Aside from making me look like a maniac in your eyes, it wouldn't have actually _helped_ anyone."

"While I do appreciate the not yelling, the not _discussing_ also does no good to anyone either," Octavia replied. "As you have said, in the Empire, it is the natural way of things. But here I have had the horrible privilege of having all the protections and pretenses of my world stripped away." She took a deep breath "At home, I congratulate myself that my house follows the old laws. We do not beat our slaves. They are well fed, well clothed. They are taught reading and writing. A slave may even earn the money to buy his or her freedom. And yet here I feared for my children not because I saw men who would be cruel masters, but that I want more for them than that. My self-congratulation cannot hold up against that. Hypocrisy is not a trait I tolerate from others and I do not like to find it in myself, William." She said, using his given name for the first time.

She stood up and looked out into the courtyard. "I do not know if the Empire is ready to become what your people are. It is still the way things are for my people to hold slaves. It is such an integral part of our society and our economy that many will revulse at the notion of simply dismissing slavery.

"But here, in this place, there is no room, no excuse, and no need for it. All those held as slaves here shall be free under the law of the Empire." She stated with all finality.

Then a thought occurred to her. "Tell me, Lieutenant. What will happen when you find the people taken from your world? When you find the people holding them?"

Taylor considered his answer for a moment."We will demand their immediate release and if the Empire refuses, we will make it increasingly expensive and painful to keep our people from us. Those found who have mistreated our people we will want them for war crimes I expect. Peace Treaty or no, the people of the world will want someone directly punished."

Octavia nodded in understanding. "And on one other matter.' She faced Taylor directly.

"Yes, Lady Octavia?"

"William James Taylor Octavus, as a son of my House, you must never again hold your mind secret to me. You will not allow such matters to fester in silence."

Taylor blinked. "I don't recall becoming…"

She cut him off with a pleased look as the cat that had just swallowed the proverbial canary. "As the Lady of one of the Great Houses of the Empire, as I say, it is done!"

* * *

 **Hill 105: Charlie Company, 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines.**

Assigned to cover the north side of Hill 105, dubbed 'Alamo East' by the Marines of Charlie Company, 2nd Platoon had set up observation on the surrounding ground, part of a critical advanced warning network for the men back at Gibraltar.

So far everything had been quiet, but somewhere about eight miles away was one massive army. Charlie Company was instructed to observe, report, and to withdraw if confronted in force.

"Movement on the hill, LT." Corporal Ames reported calmly.

2nd Lieutenant Mayer and Platoon Sergeant Killian immediately came over to Ames' vantage point to have a look for themselves. Far from the scouts of a great army, all any of them could see was a weathered-looking peasant poking around with frustration.

"Looks harmless enough but you and I will go see if we can get our visitor to find a safer bunch of rocks to go poking about." The Lieutenant told Killian, who nodded the two men picked their way down the hill to the startled local.

He seemed to flinch at their sudden appearance. "You're not bandits, are you? I don't have anything worth taking right now and I promise I really wouldn't be enough fun to be worth killing!"

Had either of the two Marines considered it for a moment, they might have been impressed at how well this local spoke their language While it was true that the local noble class were known to speak a variant of English, it was reported that the normal common dialect was a mangled form of Latin. As it was, they were merely concerned about calming this poor man down.

"Easy there friend," Mayer told him with open hands. "We're not bandits. What brings you out here by yourself? If there are bandits out here, isn't it a bit dangerous to go poking around?"

"Oh! Well, I'm a shepherd. My sheep were all frightened off by loud thunder coming from Alnus Hill during the night!" He shrugged helplessly. "They're all I have so what else am I to do?"

The two Marines looked at each other On the one hand, having anyone poking about was a potential security risk. On the other hand, the Allies weren't planning on using their might to go killing, locking up, or terrifying the local shepherds. It wasn't as if this character had a hidden radio or anything.

The Lieutenant considered it for a moment. "We have some friends who we'll ask to keep an eye out for your flock. In the meantime, why don't you come up the hill and we'll share some food with you and maybe you can tell us about yourself and folks around here?"

The shepherd nodded in thankful relief "Thank you! You are very generous! Oh! My name is Corus! It is nice to meet you!"

"Well Corus, follow me and we'll go talk to some friends," Mayer told him and started back up the hill with Killian bringing up the rear.

As Corus followed the Lieutenant, he briefly glanced over in the direction of Alnus Hill. _Hardy, I wonder if you have any idea what you have done?_


	7. Side Story pt 1:They Fought, We Operated

This is part 1 of a side story for The Janus Campaign. The side story centers on the personnel of the 407th Combat Support Hospital whom you will recognize as the characters from M*A*S*H. (The 407th will likely be redesignated reflecting its expanded role in the Janus Theater) Please note that in this crossover we will find Colonel Potter with Henry Blake serving as his second-in-command. All the 'Swampmen' from the series are here so enjoy as these doctors and reluctant army men do the Gate their way.

 **They Fought and We Operated**

 **O.R. 407th Combat Support Hospital**

Colonel Sherman Potter grimly stepped into the OR as Nurse Able helped finish securing his mask. Most of the casualties coming in now were Saderan Imperials and there were plenty of them. He had just finished meeting with General Hazama about getting the full hospital up and running soonest. As of yet, only the barest essentials were finished although he was told that the Post-Op module should be ready shortly. He made a quick survey around the room. Outside, Captains Spalding and Ho were handling preop, Captain Pak was in charge of triage. In the OR, the rest of his doctors were hard at work. His attention lingered a moment on Major Charles Emerson Winchester III, The man was an excellent surgeon, but here that wasn't enough. A surgeon had to be fast as well as good here.

"Winchester! Move on! The bodies are literally piling up out there! Neatness doesn't count!" Colonel Potter hollered as Corporal O'Reilly reported another batch of wounded arriving.

"Colonel, I refuse to rush a bowel resection." The aristocratic Bostonian huffed in reply. "Why am I even here?"

"You're here, Winchester, because we're supposed to have an even dozen surgeons and you're number twelve. Now put it into overdrive! We don't have time to waste. Hunnicutt! Help Winchester!" Potter ordered.

"On it colonel. Kellye, close for me." Captain Hunnicutt instructed his nurse and then rushed over to Winchester's table.

"Now see here! Colonel!" An irate Winchester protested.

"Zip it, Winchester! Shut your yap and pay attention." Potter ordered.

At the next table, Major Burns groaned as the next casualty was brought in. "Oh my god! It's bad enough we have to work on the enemy but this one isn't even human! I don't even know why they brought this thing in here! I'm no veterinarian!"

"You're no doctor either Frank." Trapper John countered.

At the table behind Burns, Henry Blake turned around and looked. On the table was a slightly built girl of an apparent human age of 17 and with bluish green feathers and bird-like feet. Henry sighed. "Colonel, for once I agree with Frank. If this kid is going to have a chance at all, Pierce had better handle it."

"What about it Pierce?" Potter asked, not looking up from his own work.

"I think we're out of danger here. Newsome? Finish up for me will you?"

"Do I get to sew my initials in the stitches?"

"Only on the inside," Pierce replied as he changed gloves and shouldered Burns out of the way. "What a mess. Frank! Go find another table to work on your malpractice!'

"Colonel Potter!" Burns protested indignantly. He might not have wanted to operate on a non-human but he could not stand to be shunted aside either.

"BURNS! Get a patient and start doctoring!"

Pierce put the flustered Major out of his mind as he looked over this young girl's injuries. "What a mess. "Who says the human race isn't advancing. Every war we find improved ways to kill our fellow man. Or in this case our fellow avian. Even the operation could be fatal. She's already lost a lot of blood and we can't use any of ours. Margaret, get all the PolyHeme we have." PolyHeme was an oxygen-carrying blood substitute. At present, PolyHeme was considered less than satisfactory for general use but did have the advantages in that it would not cause incompatibility reactions. In Pierce's thinking, it was the only choice that would not be 100% fatal to this girl.

"You know that's still experimental." Major Houlihan noted.

"What else can we do? If we don't use it she'll bleed to death during the operation." He could only hope that her internal structure was similar enough to human that he could piece it all back together again.

"I'll get it right away." The Major hurried to retrieve the PolyHeme.

"Good. Now let's see if we can patch things up between the races as it were."

"Now if they'll take a break from making more casualties," Hunnicutt observed sourly.

"No such luck," Trapper noted. "What? Quit on all the fun?" He quipped. "Retractor." He said to Lieutenant Dish, who promptly provided the requested instrument.

"Remember that these fellows are the lucky ones." Potter reminded them.

"Be that as it may, Colonel," Captain Newsome replied. "This fellow might not be too happy when he gets his bill. I'm sure I'm not on his HMO plan."

"Don't let Frank hear you say that." Piece quipped. "He just might refuse to operate altogether. On the other hand, go ahead and say it. It might save some lives."

Several hours later, a tired Colonel Potter asked Radar for a count on the wounded waiting.

"That's the last of them, sir." The young corporal checked his clipboard.

"And a good thing too!" Corporal Klinger put in. "If this keeps up, I'm gonna start bucking for a psycho discharge!"

"Not a chance Klinger," Pierce told him. "We're all already crazy. Why do you think we're here?"

"That was good work in there people," Potter told them all. "Pierce, that was one helluva bang up job you did on that avian girl."

"Well someone had to Colonel. Someone did a bang up job on her already."

"Figures you'd sympathize with the enemy." Burns scorned.

"I always sympathize with kids that have had their insides spilled all over their outsides. It's a doctor thing. You wouldn't understand."

"What I wouldn't do for a long shower." Hunnicutt mused.

"I'm going to wash my face and go find a nice corner to pass out in." Captain Pak commented. "If anyone needs me, have a nurse wake me, slowly."

"Father Mulcahy said something about sandwiches." Henry Blake noted. "I'll wait for that."

"Well, the good news is that General Hazama says we have top priority from the construction and logistics folks."

"I suppose that's something." Trapper said tiredly.

"Actually Colonel?" Radar hesitated. "There is ONE more patient. She walked in under her own power but I think you should take a look at her personally Colonel."

"Well, show her in Radar."

"Yes, sir." O'Reilly stepped out and returned a moment later accompanied by the clopping of hooves. A beautiful Chestnut mare followed behind him.

"It's a horse sir…."


	8. Side Story pt 2: Orphan of the Storm

In part 2 of our side story, we meet one of Gate's most tragic and forgotten characters. Just maybe she will be granted another chance at life.

 **They Fought, We Operated Part 2  
**  
 **Orphan of the Storm**

This was not the first time her world had ended. Once she had been a proud warrior and her tribe ruled unchallenged over their lands. There were other tribes of 'Warrior Bunnies', as the humans called them, but the Tribe of the Veldt was the strongest. Tribal warfare had been the natural state of affairs, especially since there were so few males of their kind. Neighboring tribes often raided each other for breeding males and warred over hunting grounds (Their kind were omnivorous, contrary to the expectations of Earth Humans.)

Over a great many generations, they had discovered to their delight that human males were also viable for mating. Though tribal law demanded that the Queen be of pure blood, mixed blood warrior bunnies were virtually indistinguishable from their foremothers. So sometimes a tribe would raid human settlements or caravans as well. Attacking caravans or capturing lone travelers was preferable. It was low risk to their warriors and due to their far superior reflexes and strength, there was less risk of accidentally killing the very males they needed. And seldom did these males complain. Being too weak to fight or perform heavy labor, they were perfectly suited to handle their role in the survival of the tribe.

Unfortunately, they had raided these caravans and settlements too often. The local governments and the wealthy trading houses who had suffered losses demanded action to stop these raids. To that end, the Emperor ordered an army to march into the Veldt. At its head was his own son, Prince Zorzal, who planned to make an example of the Warrior Bunnies and also to make a profit in conjunction with many of those same trading houses. Houses which also dealt in slaves in addition to other commodities,

In response to the open invasion of their territory, all of the tribes united under the leadership of Queen Tyuule to fight a war more brutal than anything they had ever seen in their history. Warrior Bunnies were no stranger to violence but the ruthless efficiency in which the Empire conducted war was new to them. The Empire distinguished not between destroying their enemies in open battle or burning villages to the ground. In fact, it almost seemed that their enemy preferred to make war on the young and the aged, and the infirm. While it was true that in a few of the Tribal Wars, the losing Tribes had collapsed in the aftermath, the way that the Empire made war had been a complete shock.

In the course of the war, the Tribes smashed forces sometimes thrice their numbers time after time but more Imperial Troops always replaced them as the numbers of the Warriors of the Tribes dwindled. Then after a systematic burning of villages and setting fire to hunting grounds by the Empire, the Tribes were broken, spent. Queen Tyuule herself declared her intention to meet with the Imperial Crown Prince and attempt to negotiate an end to the war.

Then had come the betrayal: The Imperials announced that Queen Tyuule had made an agreement, but only to surrender herself into the safe custody of the Empire in exchange for her abdication. The Tribes were given two choices: enslavement or death. Without Tyuule, there was no longer a unifying leader to continue the war. The Empire smashed the remaining tribes one by one until they surrendered or died. Tyuule's own tribe had been left for last. They were left with the disgrace of their Queen's cowardice and betrayal and left in a hopeless position. Then the Empire came to finish the job.

But when they came, at last, they found a city already in flames as the surviving inhabitants had opted to deny Zorzal his final victory. They destroyed their homes and fled to uncertain futures. In a rage, Zorzal placed a bounty on every Warrior Bunny remaining free in Falmart. Money enough that the trackers and the merely desperate were everywhere.

Parna had fled with her battle sisters Delilah and Griine. Together they survived, living off the land, hiding, fearing what the next day would bring. It was all finally too much when the gods finally led their path to the Imperial Capital itself and to the Akusho District. It had rained the night before and her belly ached with emptiness. There was no hope. At that moment she only saw three choices: She could keep running, enduring an endless life of being hunted, of being hungry, of being useless. She could end it all. Take her knife. Or she could just stop running. Just go into Akusho. Just trade a broken will and dignity to be safe. To have a meal, maybe a bed. It was just an ear.

So Parna stood up and took out her knife and cut off her left ear and walked into Akusho.

In Akusho, Parna was property to be had for the taking. She was passed around until she came into the possession of a Centurion who had both a hot streak at dice and a sharp dagger to back up his luck. And now her Master's luck had run out.

He had told her with satisfaction that she would be accompanying him through the Gate to a new world where the Empire had found a land brimming with plunder and slaves. Of course, as they were known to be a weak people, he would need her all the more since any slaves he claimed would need to be 'broken in'. Parna's soul warred between the relief she felt at not being in danger of being discarded and the sick feeling she felt when he talked so casually about putting others in collars as she herself wore. He had been quite irritated to learn that his legion was being assigned to watch Alnus Hill and the Gate while the invasion got underway. That irritation turning to shock as the remains of the once mighty Imperial Expedition returned to Alnus in a near panic. Soon Legate Titian had every spare man building defenses. Parna was put to work carrying stone, the work had been 12 hours a day and then as she slept, she awoke to hear a strange grinding rumble. A few feet away, her Master slept. She knew better than to wake him without very good reason.

So she slipped out of the tent and listened. And then she saw the night itself catch fire. And then she saw the huge metal beasts that spat fire from their snouts. Strange men pointing spears of black that cracked with a loud report. Imperial soldiers falling everywhere. It was terrifying and exhilarating at the same time. The almost joy in seeing the hateful Imperial soldiers cut down like wheat before a scythe and the terror that she too could die or worse, be left to face whatever monsters these were. Only her superior hearing and reflexes allowed her to find safe cover.

Eventually, the noise died down. She could hear the moans and sobs from dying soldiers now. She listened for the sound of her Master. If he was alive and she did not come, then she would be punished. But she did not hear his voice. But as she hid, she heard other voices that spoke in a tongue that Parna had heard the higher priced ladies in Akusho speaking. They had even taught her a little. Strange men pointing their fire spears and searching the bodies. As she listened, she waited for the loud bark of those weapons as the invaders finished off the dying Imperials. Strangely this did not happen. Instead, they seemed to be checking the bodies for signs of life. Some they would bandage and treat as if the soldier was one of their own.

Still, she had no desire to test their benevolence. She hid until they were gone. Then she snuck back to her Master's tent. In front lay her master's body, still half naked where he had fallen, the look of pure astonishment frozen on his face. Knowing that he was dead made it simple to dismiss him from her thoughts. She knew not whether Emory or Hardy claimed his soul and nor did she care. To her small satisfaction, she found her clothes locked in a trunk at the foot of his mat. She bundled them up in his pack along with anything that might be useful: his coin purse, some flour and salted meat and the jewel-encrusted dagger her master had been wearing the night he won her.

The next thing that occurred to her was the question of where she should go now. Quietly she snuck away from Alnus Hill. She thought the safest place to go would be back to Akusho. If she was found out in the open, they might assume she had attacked her master and if so she would be put to death. So, guided by the ancient sky, she headed toward Sadera.

That is until she found a leathery-skinned old human sitting on a rock as if waiting for her. She tensed and he gently chuckled.

"I'm just a foolish old shepherd who has lost his flock! Surely you have nothing to fear in me!" He looked at her mildly. "Why would you go back to the people that put you here in the first place?" He asked her in the old tongue.

"Where else can I go?" she asked desperately.

"You are a bright young girl." He told her. "What isn't bright is doing the same thing over and expecting a different outcome! Go back to Alnus! Are the newcomers really to be feared or are they friends you haven't met yet?"

"They've killed thousands of Imperial soldiers! They might kill me!"

"And yet you are alive. And if you return to Akusho? Then they will surely kill you, will they not? A slave who may have killed her Master? How can any owner trust such a slave?"

Parna's right ear drooped as she considered the truth of the shepherd's words. "Perhaps I could stay with you?"

He shook his head. "I am but a foolish shepherd who has lost his flock! You deserve something better!" He pointed back to Alnus. "Take a chance on something better!"

She slowly nodded. She didn't believe it but it made the most sense. So she headed back for Alnus, quietly sneaking her way back. As she left the shepherd, she heard him chuckle. _"Looks like I found one! Now to go meet some of these newcomers for myself!"_

It took little time for Parna to return to the Hill but already the newcomers were changing it in incredible ways. New buildings of odd material stood where some of the tents had been. She watched cautiously from the shadows and then she heard a sound he hadn't heard in almost three years. Animals! The chittering of guinea pigs and other small animals and a gentle voice speaking to them:

 _"I know… I know… But there's nothing to be scared of now, This is where they're gonna put the mess tent so it's as safe as anything. Now look, I gotta go do corporal stuff. I left you some nice vegetables and fruit and some walnuts. So I gotta leave your cages here but I'll be back! Don't you little guys worry! I'll be back, Cause you know… us little guys gotta stick together…"_


	9. Chapter 7: Game of Position

**Chapter 7: Game of Position**

 **Hill 107 'Little Round Top'**

Captain Decker, Commanding officer, Company A, 1st Battalion, 1st Brigade Combat Team 'Bastogne, listened carefully to the radio reports coming in from the scouting force that 1st Division had sent out. The natives were definitely on the move and making a straight line for 'Gibraltar'. That made the ground his men were standing on very important, being one of two main hills that flanked the enemy's axis of approach.

Estimates of the enemy force were somewhere around 130,000 men. This was roughly the size of the armies at the Battle of Philippi. Against this mass of men was a force one-tenth that size busily trying to sort itself out through the single worst logistical chokepoint in military history.

Decker's mind went back to his grandfather's stories of Chinese human wave attacks in Korea following the Yalu offensive. An enemy who was willing to throw away enough lives to get in close could do a lot of damage even though Decker could not believe their current enemy could possibly defeat them. _Although it's possible those guys are thinking the same thing._ He considered to himself. At any rate, the best way to keep the enemy at bay was to break up his formation at range with indirect fire from the batteries of 155 mm howitzers the Japanese had brought with them.

That called for forward spotting and people in the best position for that mission were his men on Little Round Top on the enemy's left flank and the Marines on Alamo East on the enemy right. While General Hazama and Colonels Lowe and Emerson had made it clear that they did not expect either force to ride it down in flames if the enemy attacked their positions in strength, the longer those spotters could direct the artillery fire, the more successful they would be in breaking up the enemy's attack. As he looked out on the huge force marching before him, he sorely wished he had at least some of the Brigade's 105s with him.

"So do you think they'll try taking this hill?" Lieutenant Carter, his executive officer asked.

"I would. Sergeant Graham!" He called to his runner. "Get all the platoon leaders up here on the double."

"Yes, sir."

* * *

 **In Column, Grand Imperial Army**

Some Generals lead from the front. Godasen was not of this mold. Even facing a battle he expected to win handily, there were always some unfortunate souls who went on to Emory's embrace. Senator Godasen had no intention of being one of them. Instead, he and his staff rode with the 30th Legion, located immediately behind the lead ranks. This is not to say that the Senator lacked any appreciation for the military arts, merely that he had a fine appreciation for his own importance. But as his army marched toward Alnus, his eyes caught on the hills flanking his approach. He did not like the prospect of enemy scouts watching him. On the other hand, being in a better position to observe any possible movement by his enemy was perfect military sense. He turned to Crassus La Nias, commander of the 30th Legion and addressed this.

"I want two turmae each to secure each of those two flanking hills immediately."

"Yes, Sir."

* * *

 **Hill 107 'Little Round Top'**

"Inbound!" Sergeant Wilkins announced as he looked through his field glasses. "Cavalry… Looks like sixty or so."

Decker frowned in thought. A few mortar rounds and the company's M240 machine guns should be plenty to handle this force The only question is whether the Imperials would take the hint and leave well enough alone once this first attack was repulsed. He very much doubted it.

"Set the mortars with High Explosive rounds and fuses on proximity setting. I'd rather finish these guys before they get a good look at our positions, just in case one of them does the smart thing and gets the hell outta Dodge once we open up on them." Captain Decker had dispersed his Javelin teams amongst his rifle platoons but kept the mortars near the top of the hill with his command unit.

"In the meantime, we had better let Gibraltar know our situation."

* * *

 **Alnus Hill**

In his command vehicle, General Hazama listened to the latest reports coming from Little Round Top and Alamo East. Fortunately, it did not appear that these probing attacks would jeopardize the ability of the spotters on those hills to direct the fire of his artillery batteries. He considered reinforcing the outpost hills in case the enemy decided to throw more their way but the more units he sent racing all over the map, the more confused things would become. Confusion was an ally of the enemy, wasting precious time and energy. He did make a note to see what could be done to help Colonel Lowe expedite the deployment of his 105s onto the outpost hills.

Beyond that, there was precious little for the General to do for the moment but wait and stay out of his people's way...

* * *

 **In Column, Grand Imperial Army**

It had taken less than an hour for Godasen to learn that both cavalry detachments had been all but wiped out. In that time, the leading ranks of his army had advanced four miles and now as his mind tried to understand the wizardry that had killed them, he was about to be introduced to destructive magic on a level so powerful it beggared his imagination as with a sudden scream through the air, the earth erupted in smoke and fire, tearing into the ranks of the 34th legion directly ahead, shattering men like the hammer of an angry god.

 _What manner of sorcery is this?_ Godasen wondered as more explosions erupted across the front three legions. He turned to Crassus.

"We've been lured into a trap! They must have powerful magic users on the hills flanking our approach!"

"What are your orders?" Crassus asked, a wave of panic starting to rise within him.

"As representative of the Imperial Senate, I am issuing an edict. Send messengers to all commanders that any failure to obey orders or any display of cowardice in the face of the enemy shall be immediately punishable by death!" He gestured to the hills "They attack as wolves against the bear. We must clear our flanks while we continue to press on Sacred Alnus!'

He quickly checked the standards behind him. "I want the 40th and 28th legions to take the hill to our right and the 56th and 32nd legions to take the hill on our left! I want prisoners if at all possible." Also, this will keep the enemy occupied as we close on Alnus.

"Yes, sir!" Crassus acknowledged.

In the meantime, some twelve miles away, Hazama's artillery batteries, sighted in by the spotters on hills 105 and 107, adjusted their aim and opened up another salvo which scattered broken men, both dead and living, as Imperial officers, themselves shocked and terrified, tried to get control of their troops. Godasen watched as the 39th legion practically fell apart.

"Order quick march!"

Crassus paled. "But sir! The men will be worn out by the time they reach Alnus!"

Godasen glowered. "They can be tired or they can be dead!"

"Yes, sir!" Crassus hurriedly replied lest his hesitation be mistaken for disobedience.

Godasen merely nodded. He needed this man. His relations with the army had often been difficult. Commanders like Germanicus and Titian dismissed him for being too much of a Politicker and a dilettante. But Crassus was different and he shared one particular trait with Godasen: Ambition.

Crassus longed for the power and prestige of political office. Godasen would sponsor his political prospects and Crassus backed his benefactor's standing with the army. Now they needed each other most of all.

* * *

 **Alamo East**

Captain James Douglas, USMC, peered through his field glasses again. Yes, there were definitely two enemy formations breaking from the main body and heading in their direction. Captain Decker had reported the same over at Little Round Top. An estimated 11,000 men were heading for each of the two hills, guarded by little more than 200 men each. In the meantime, there were still 100,000 men heading for Gibraltar and the Gate. The artillery would take a heavy toll but unlike a video game, the ammunition expended did not just magically appear next to the guns. An average 155mm gun was expected to fire a conservative estimate of 200 rounds in a day. To supply that much ammunition to the eight batteries of heavy guns available to Task Force Janus meant the delivery of some 270 TONS of ammunition a day at the same time the Gate was feeding in construction equipment, food, fuel, helicopters, medical supplies. It was the Achilles heel of the Allied Forces.

Most of what ammunition there was would of necessity have to be directed on the main body threatening Gibraltar. Captains Douglas and Decker would be able to request some limited fire support but by and large, they would have to rely on their own abilities to endure the human tidal wave bearing down on them.

* * *

 **Little Round Top**

"Alright. Lieutenant, how many M-MPIMS do we have?" Captain Decker asked his XO as they went over defensive plans. The M-MPIMS was a replacement for the old M-18 Claymore mines, being smaller and with a reduced rear clearance area and capable of being fitted with laser or camera control options.

"Sixty sir. We have them spread out to cover a 120-degree arc accommodating the most likely approaches, angled to conform to the slope of the hill."

"Good. I want 3rd platoon to leave one squad covering its sector and send a squad each to 1st and 2nd platoons." It was a risk in leaving a third of his perimeter so weak, but that arc was facing Gibraltar. Decker needed his men facing the enemy. "I want the Javelin teams I assigned 3rd platoon up here. Also, warn the men to fire short careful aimed bursts only. They run out of ammunition, we'll have to throw rocks at them."

"Yes, sir." The Lieutenant paused. "Captain? Do you think it will get that bad? I mean, won't our artillery break them up pretty good?"

"If men did the sensible thing, then the Charge of the Light Brigade would never have taken place. We can hope but we can't count on the enemy giving up. Lieutenant? Did you know that after Pickett's Charge, a lot of Confederate soldiers wanted Lee to give it another go?"

"No sir." The Lieutenant was surprised.

"We think we know how a rational mind will react. Well, every culture has a slightly different idea what 'rational' is. That's why we assume the worst case in our business. We can't afford to assume the other guy _isn't_ trying to kill us. We plan accordingly."

"Yes, sir."

* * *

 **Hill 102: South of Alnus, 'Pork Chop Hill'**

"Roger, Six. Standing by to execute 'Fast Shuffle'," Major Stoltz acknowledged his orders from Battalion. "Executing Special Delivery now!" At a nod, one Humvee raced off for Little Round Top.

* * *

 **56th Legion, 1 mile East of Little Round Top**

Aemilianus was two things at this moment as he neared the hill: Terrified and Angry. The destruction of so many of his men was absolutely horrifying as he saw his legionaries shattered and maimed. That somehow this was the work, not of the gods, but of other men, men that fought not openly on the field of battle, but as cowards, killing from afar made him furious. Senator Godasen wanted prisoners. So be it. Aemilianus intended to spare _two_ of the enemy on the hill before him. He fully intended that the rest would be beheaded and their cowardly souls could rot in Hardy's domain!

"As long as these cowards live! Let not one man among us turn from his duty! Conquer, or die!"

* * *

 **In Column, Grand Imperial Army**

Godasen noted with relief as the ripple of explosions ceased to tear into his columns. His assessment had apparently been correct: Now directly confronted, the enemy mages were too busy trying to save their own skins to further disrupt his march on Alnus. He knew that the troops he had dispatched to take the two hills were taking dreadful losses but he still had no doubt that enough of his men would reach the tops and put cold steel to the enemy.

The first of these assumptions then evaporated as, without warning, the foul enemy magic once more tore into his forward Legions.

Any relief that the Legions attacking Little Round Top and Alamo East might have felt as the big guns of Task Force Janus turned their attention back to the main body of the Imperial Army vanished shortly thereafter as the first lines of Claymores detonated, spewing hundreds of metal balls each into the ranks of the 40th and 56th Legions.

Aemilianus swore as his mount reared, frightened by the explosions which had detonated behind him. He looked back to see his command dying. But their lives didn't matter anymore. Emory would be pleased with their sacrifice in battle. Aemilianus was only concerned that their killers go back to their thrice-damned mistress.

Behind them, The 32nd Legion bore witness as Aemilianus rallied his surviving troops in a headlong charge up the hill. He and his Cavalry racing far ahead of the foot and into a hail of fire from M4 Carbines. Aemilianus thus fell with no great declaration of defiance, no immortal words. Only a footnote in the day's bloody toll.

On the other flank, much the same fate saw the remains of the 40th Legion chopped down by the highly accurate fire from the new M27 Rifles the Marine Corps had issued many of the troops deploying to Janus.

Despite the carnage ahead of them, the 32nd and 28h Legions pressed onward.

* * *

 **Alnus Hill**

General Hazama had been carefully listening to the reports from his subunit commanders. The outpost hills were still feeding good FO observation to his artillery and a sizeable chunk of the enemy had diverted to attack those positions. His men had been working unceasingly to unload ammunition stores and supplies and now he was almost ready.

"Standby to commence Operation Raiden."

* * *

 **To Be Continued...**


	10. Chapter 8: Somebody Else's War

**Chapter 8: Somebody Else's War**

 **32nd Legion, Approaching Little Round Top**

Theodosius Du Marrel, who held the rank of _miles_ in the Imperial Army, marched toward the nondescript little hill with a feeling of dread that few of his current compatriots could understand. Until a few short weeks ago, he had been part of the 11th Legion and one of over 100,000 fighting men of the Imperial Expeditionary Army. Now he was one of some 30,000 men who had escaped the disaster on the other side of the Gate and the subsequent Incursion by the hell sworn who lived there.

At first, he and every other man among the survivors had been put to work by Legate Titian, building defenses, but gradually, most of the survivors had been reassigned to Godasen's Grand Imperial Army, where it was quickly apparent that the Senator had a different set of priorities. New men and officers were transferred into the surviving Legions so they could monitor and report on the reliability of those units. In the meantime, others such as himself had been transferred out.

Theodosius was not certain why he had been chosen to be reassigned. Was it because he was considered particularly suspect? It could simply have been to make room for one of Godasen's 'Objectivirs' as many half-jokingly referred to them For whatever reason, he had been reassigned to the 32nd Legion. As for his former compatriots, the 11th Legion now marched in the center of the army, where they could neither hesitate from battle nor disengage without a 'more reliable' unit at their backs. As added insurance, 'Loyal' cohorts now leavened the ranks of the 'suspect' units. It was quite clear that Godasen intended for a tight lid to be placed down on what had happened to the Expedition.

That had not stopped Theodosius from trying to describe to his new companions just what he had seen on that awful day. They simply were not inclined to listen, as they made humorous sport of the issue:

" _So tell us about the Gate Worlders, Miles!"_ His new commanding Centurion had ordered. " _I hear they are all at least twelve feet tall and their fangs drip with blood! I hear their eyes glow a burning red right into a man's soul and after that, a man loses the feeling in his extremity. Tell us how they whoop and chant to their War gods and lick blood from their hands. Tell us, Miles! Is all that true? Is that why you all ran?"_

His new tent mates had all laughed but Theodosius hook his head.

 _"You don't understand. None of you do. They look like ordinary men but they are as different from men as gods and monsters. They don't cry to Emroy or any other god when in battle. It's as if they are completely indifferent to gods. Their blood does not burn like a normal man's would. They are cold. My century blundered into a small group riding in a magic iron carriage…"_

Someone had snorted in derision at that. " _...or it was pulled by phantom steeds! I only know there were no horses and it moved faster than a chariot at the Maximus!"_ He shot back. " _There were FOUR men. Our Centurion offered them honorable challenge: Whether they understood or not, I don't know but as he charged at them, they struck him down with their thunder staves as if he was nothing to them! Their eyes cold as if even the act of spilling blood in battle, or at least our blood, was no more than killing vermin. Not worthy of hailing to the gods and then they looked at us as if we were rats with those same soulless eyes and started killing us. So yes I ran! I ran as fast as I could to get away from those soulless things!"_

The rest of them had all just laughed and shook their heads. " _Stick close!"_ One had told him in reply. " _When they come, you'll see they're just barbarians. Maybe when you see how they die, Maybe you'll remember where you left your manhood."_

All that was important to them was his self-admission that he had run. The jokes began over who would watch the coward. Whether they needed to take him to a woman so he could remember his manhood. How they would tease him to 'Tell the story again!' But Theodosius knew that he would rather Hardy claim him for eternity and put him to work in the pits of her lair rather than face those soulless men again, lest they devour his soul as he feared they had the thousands struck down far from Emroy's protective embrace.

And now he was marching to face them again. How had it come to this? The second son of a tenant farmer, Theodosius had joined the army lured by the promise of pay, loot, and glory. After his ten years, he could leave the army and buy a piece of land of his own! First, he would buy a little piece of land for his parents so they could have their own garden to till. If the plunder and slaves were as bountiful for the taking as the rumors claimed, he'd buy a couple of slaves for them so they would have a couple of strong backs to help them. His father could watch him raise his own sons, instead of working himself into an early grave. He would be the master of his own little kingdom, built with his own hands, his skill, and his loyalty.

Instead, he saw only the prospect of death and his mother crying over his torn body. He briefly wondered how his friends were doing. Not the idiots marching beside him, but the tent brothers he had trained with, fought beside, played cards and shared humor with. Would any of them live through this?

Ahead, they watched as the 56th Legion was cut down. The survivors backing down the slope to reform on the 32nd. The centurion of the lead century raised his sword to direct his men forward as the Legate nodded and then suddenly the Centurion's head jerked violently back. The man was already dead as he fell from his horse. Heedlessly, the Legate ordered his men on…

"Good shot Corporal." Sergeant Pryce told the squad's marksman approvingly. Apparently, the locals didn't know to stop throwing good money in after bad and it was going to cost them.

Corporal Madigan only nodded the slightest in acknowledgment of his squad leader as he chambered a fresh round. Unfortunately, the other officer had prudently moved back as he directed his men forward.

Further up the slope, the rest of 2nd squad, 2nd platoon waited company's situation had been improved somewhat by the arrival of medics from Charlie Company, along with a squad of men who were busy deploying Claymores they had brought with them in case the enemy decided to try something more sophisticated than a straight in charge and tried to get around A Company's flank. Major Stoltz intended to send two of his rifle platoons to reinforce A Company and hold Pork Chop with the remainder. Still, one could not help but be intimidated by the sight of nearly 8000 men heading up their hill with barely 300 to stop them. Modern weapons or not, everyone knew that if the enemy DID manage to get close, it would get very ugly, very fast.

Some wondered if this crummy little hill was worth it. Captain Decker told them that the longer they stayed on that hill, the more effective the artillery would be in breaking up the huge army bearing down on their brothers and that intended to cut them off from home. That made this ground that A Company would hold dear.

Let the politicians and generals decide on 'war aims' and 'strategy' and the like, These were not the things that mattered to the men on Little Round Top. Let the big shots fight for grand ideals. On this day, these men fought for each other and fought to see home again one day.

* * *

 **In Column, Grand Imperial Army**

Godasen glared in frustration at one of the two small hills as messengers informed him of the results of the initial assaults. It was inconceivable that the Imperial Army was suffering such losses while being completely unable to come to grips with the enemy. Taking a more careful look at the topography, he summoned Crassus to his side. Within minutes, orders were being passed. Orders that promised to make matters more difficult for the men on Little Round Top and Alamo East.

* * *

 **Little Round Top**

"They're coming again!" Private Rollins announced unnecessarily as the deep ranks of Imperial soldiers began advancing again. Apparently, someone with a brain was in charge down there Captain Decker noted as the enemy front broadened, extending to twice its previous length, the shallower but broader formation meant that it would not be as easy to stack the enemy up under fire.

"Keep your heads down. Aim careful, No rock and roll! Remember, if you see a guy giving orders, drop him. Platoon leaders, squad leaders, fire team leaders… We're not here to fight to the last man. I expect you to use good judgment in deciding when to fall back. Don't wait for orders on this, gentlemen. Now… Screaming Eagles! Send 'em to hell!"

Theodosius looked uneasily back up the hill as Legate Nerva ordered the 32nd to lengthen its lines. Behind them, the 47th Legion had been ordered to join the attack. Around him, his fellow legionnaires were beginning to feel the same dread that Theodosius, himself had lived with for months as they began to march past the bodies of dead comrades or some not yet dead. Some having dragged themselves behind trees or other bits of terrain. Officers who would have otherwise have put such men to the sword for their cowardice ignored them as they fought to suppress their own rising fear.

* * *

 **Alamo East**

For the Marines on Alamo East, a major threat was developing as a mass of cavalry began assembling. The gentler slope making for more manageable terrain for cavalry than the steep hillside of Little Round Top. Captain Douglas could call in limited artillery support but doubted that it would stop the force coming at them.

"We'll give them a hell of a bloody nose first." Douglas promised."And then we get the hell out of here."

* * *

 **Vehicle Assembly Area, Gibraltar**

Sergeant Minato Akira of the JSDF 1st Tank Battalion waited impatiently for the order from General Hazama to commence 'Operation Raiden'. The fuel tanks had been checked. The ammunition had been replenished. All vehicle crews had finished whatever maintenance was required. Minato's Type 10 tank would be in the vanguard of this attack, less for the 120 mm smoothbore cannon it carried, than for its 70 kilometers per hour speed. General Hazama intended to take a page from the American General Patton, who declared a tank's machine guns and not the main cannon were the true primary weapons of a tank. To that end, great care had been taken to assure that enough 12.7 mm and 7.62 mm ammunition was recovered from the incoming supply trucks to fully load every vehicle committed to the attack.

General Hazama believed one of the best ways to disrupt an enemy attack was with an attack of your own. Sergeant Minato was certain that the enemy would find a motorized charge led by some eighty tanks to be _very_ disruptive.

Now they waited for the artillery to finish its work and then once the General issued the order to attack, Sergeant Minato would give these barbarians who had dared invade his homeland a lesson in modern warfare.

* * *

 **Alamo East**

Corus carefully watched the soldiers around him, these 'Marines'. It helped that they had wanted to ask him questions of their own. Basically, things like where he was from, where were the nearest villages, and if he knew anything about the army now moving on their positions.

Of course, he could not say much about the Imperial Army but he helpfully located the local villages. The Marines said something about making sure the villages didn't 'catch accidental fire'. They did not press with their questions, seemingly satisfied that he was just a harmless local.

But now he was in an ideal position to see how these strangers fought He wondered just what else that would reveal.

* * *

 **Imperial Cavalry, approaching the base of Alamo East**

Ignoring the battered ranks of infantry, some 2,000 Cavalry had hastily assembled for an all-out charge on Alamo East With speed and the sharpened tips of their lances, they expected to overrun the barbarians holding the hill before them.

* * *

 **In column, Grand Imperial Army**

"Damned magicians!." A trooper spat venomously, just in Godasen's hearing as he rode past the ranks.

"And where are our mages?" another complained.

It was unsurprising to Godasen that mere commoners had no real understanding of battle magic. Magic wielders in the Imperial Army came in two general types: The most common magic users were demi-humans, most of them slaves impressed into army service. The demi-human races tended to have a higher percentage of individuals with magic potential. Elemental magic proving quite useful in disrupting enemy archers and in providing limited cover through darkness or fog spells although the current battle was far beyond the scope of such abilities and thus far, wind magic had proven incapable of deflecting the long-range magic used by the barbarians. Elven magic was known to be extremely potent but elves wanted nothing to do with the affairs of the Empire. Their skills in both combat and magic tended to make their small communities not worth the trouble to attack.

As for the majority of human mages, most considered all pursuits other than their own research to be beneath them. The few Imperial citizens with the vision enough to see beyond the mere academic were a valuable resource that took years of training to learn their craft and were not so expendable as common soldiers and were certainly never meant to stand in the van of battle. To that end, mages in the Imperial Army were specialists, much like siege weaponeers. Those that Godasen had available rode nearby in the center of the army, shielded from battle until their talents were required.

Or at least that was the theory. The magic used by their enemy seemed to be capable of reaching far into the ranks of his army. For a moment, Godasen was envious of his enemies. Though known to be a weak people, they had still managed to refine incredible magic. And Godasen desperately wanted to know their secrets. If he could master that kind of power, then no honors, riches, or titles in Falmart would be beyond his reach. Though upon consideration, perhaps the Imperial throne was a fantasy best left as such. No one in his right mind would challenge Emperor Molto without being absolutely certain of quick success. Emperor Molto had not stayed in power without demonstrating a willingness to destroy anyone he believed even a remote threat to his authority. Even with the power Godasen hoped to master from all of this, it would be best to keep himself in his Majesty's good graces

But back to the current problem was that the never to be sufficiently cursed barbarians were tearing bloody chunks out of his army and visibly stealing the will of his men to press forward. IF they could only reach Alnus and get within sword' reach of the enemy! Godasen now regretted dismissing Titian's repeated insistence that the army should remain concentrated on Sacred Alnus itself. Godasen had perhaps let his own ambitions cloud his judgment on that and now a price in blood would have to be paid. Just as long as it was not his own then.

It was this moment that the universe literally came apart for the Imperial Senator and mage. Still miles away, Battery B of General Hazama's artillery fired its last salvo. Guided by spotters on Little Round Top, who; even with the fighting on their hill, had noted an unusually heavy concentration of messenger activity. One gun fired for ranging and then Godasen heard the shrill whistle of death as the shell landed short. The Senator's stomach turned as shattered bodies were hurtled skyward. His mind thinking frantically as he realized somehow the enemy had deduced his location.

"SHIELD!" He screamed to his mages, hoping their combined ability could resist the enemy magic. Then, fall corrected by observation, the other guns of Battery B fired. In the event, Godasen would have been gratified to know that his hopes had not been completely unfounded as the barrier they had put up had, indeed, prevented a tight patch of ground from being chewed into another bloody hole in the landscape. Unfortunately, his horse had been understandably terrified by the experience and reared back, throwing the Senator to the ground, stunning him. Likewise, the concussive force exerted upon the shields his mages had hastily erected left most of them similarly dazed or at least drained.

At this point, Legate Crassus, seeing that his patron would perhaps be a better asset off the battlefield, ordered the dazed politician evacuated to safety. Crassus would have to press this battle on his own. But as the hellish thunder finally stopped, Crassus had no inkling that he was now in command of a battle that no commander in the history of the Empire could have saved as General Hazama calmly ordered Operation Raiden to begin.

* * *

 **Gibraltar**

General Patton's comments about the primary weapons of a tank should not be construed as considering tanks as glorified machine gun platforms but rather the recognition that infantry still decided the winner of a battle, as in the end, it was still infantry that held the ground. A tank's mission was to facilitate this in Patton's view, whether that be by fending off opposing armor or by disrupting the enemy's infantry.

In General Hazama's case, he faced no recognizable armor force but he did face a huge amount of infantry that needed disrupting. To this end, The primary weapons of Hazama's tanks were their speed and ability to grind up job lots worth of Imperial troops being almost secondary to the shock they would generate in the tanks themselves were the wedge. Behind them came Assault Vehicles, to whom much of the job of actually _killing_ the infantry would fall. The 12.7 mm guns on the tanks being primarily tasked with anti-air work, fending off the Imperial Wyvern Riders who constituted the Empire's 'Air Cav' units. Mounted infantry in Humvees and their Japanese equivalents would then clean up. Hazama was counting on a sudden, sharp, violent thrust to shatter the cohesion of the huge army in front of them. Events would show his confidence was not misplaced.

* * *

 **Alamo East**

At this point, this Second Battle of Alnus broke down into three separate engagements: The Attack of the Imperial Cavalry on Alamo East, the assault on Little Round Top, and Hazama's thrust against the main body of the Imperial Army, as the outcome of the main engagement could no longer affect either of the secondary actions… or at least not in the short term.

Captain Douglas was quite cognizant of this as the massed force of Imperial cavalry began their charge up the hill. His Marines could bloody this force quite heavily but could not stop it. Dropping mortar fire down on the swiftly advancing enemy had already taken a toll on them but Douglas did not want his men to wait until the enemy had a chance to get up close and personal. With their mission to direct the artillery fire from the main base at Gibraltar concluded, it was time to leave Alamo East. The Marines would be back later but for now, the risk to the lives of HIS Marines was not worth any more wasted time on this hill.

"Alright Marines! Time to go! Load up the casualties and get your gear stowed! It's time to get the hell out of Dodge!" Douglas turned to Corus.

"It's your choice to come with us or stay here, but I'm thinking this is going to be a very unhealthy place to be hanging around in a few minutes."

The old shepherd nodded. "Yes, I think you are right. Those men are going to be bitterly disappointed to find you gone when they arrive. I would rather not face their disappointment." Inwardly, the god smiled. It was sad that so many leaders would have insisted on fighting and dying for a hill for no reason other than pride. Corus was not a pacifistic god but blood spilled in the name of glory, ego, or vanity was an unacceptable waste to him. There was nothing to be accomplished by staying on this hill. It was time to go for all of them.

Unaware of the thoughts of his guest, Captain Douglas smiled ruefully at the old man's assessment. "Yes, I can imagine so. Well, just follow Corporal Rice. He'll get you squared away. We'll be leaving in just a couple of minutes." He turned to his radio operator. "Sergeant Hill, get me a pen and a sheet of paper."

"Yes, sir!"

Corus watched as the Captain took pen in hand and wrote out a note and then took his KA-Bar and used it to pin the note to a nearby tree., making sure that the anchor and globe of the Corps were clearly visible. He then strode confidently to his Humvee, checking to make sure nothing else was left behind, then he got in and secured himself.

"What was that about, sir?"His driver asked.

"I left the lease agreement for the new tenants, they decide they want to stay here at our homey little retreat, then they better know who is going to come to collect the rent." Douglas clicked on his mic.

"Time's a wasting, boys! Commence Alydar."

With that, Charlie Company, 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines departed Alamo East, leaving behind a good many Imperial dead and a promise to return.

With the Imperial Main Body now having pushed past the flanking hills of Alamo East and Little Round Top, many were the thousands of Imperial soldiers who greeted the cessation of the unholy thunder of the barbarian magic with a mix of relief and the anticipation that now deprived of tricks, the insolent enemy would be ground to dust before them. Of course, there were still many who had a terrible feeling, some based on their experience beyond the Gate, and others, merely entertaining a great dread, that the worst had not passed.

With overall command of Imperial forces having now fallen to Legate Crassus and the cessation of fire from Hazama's artillery batteries, the resolve of the army briefly rebounded. Or at least the resolve of the army's surviving commanders rebounded. Thus buoyed, they urged their men on, straw men marching into a buzzsaw.

At the front of the line, the battered, bloody, nervous, and angry soldiers who had survived thus far heard the unfamiliar sounds of internal combustion engines running flat out for the first and in many cases, the last time. These men simply had no time to process what was happening to them. This was perhaps merciful as many were still in a state of shock as they were overrun and cut down. Galba was among these men, having ridden to the front of the army to demonstrate his resolve to the men. He, like so many others, died unable to grasp what was happening.

This was in sharp contrast to the ranks immediately behind them who had enough time to see the leading units of the army smashed like a sandcastle under an ogre's foot. Huge monsters from a nightmare world sneezing fire and whose 'feet' were smeared red from the bodies that they had 'trampled' over. These men had time enough for fear but little else. The secondary ranks were now trapped between Hazama's mobile assault and the mass of troops coming up behind them who still had no idea of what was happening. Some men tried to fight. Fine swords of Damascus steel shattered against armor designed to withstand the high-velocity rounds fired from Soviet Cold War era tanks. Some archers managing to loose arrows before being reduced to hamburger by automatic fire. Other men tried to run, scant few succeeding. There was no time to run and no place to run as the following ranks pushed forward, unaware of what was happening in front. Some men dropped to their knees, pleading with the gods for survival, others simply froze, unable to even panic.

Legate Crassus died sometime around this point as he selected one of the huge Type 10 tanks and charged the beast, a war cry to Emroy from his throat. Whether machine-gunned, blown apart by cannon fire, or simply crushed under the tank's treads, no survivor could definitively state. It was irrelevant.

At this point, the army came apart. The disaster was now upon the six remaining legions that had escaped to battle beyond the Gate and despite the precautions of senior army commanders, these men were less afraid of their fellow legionnaires than the enemy now in front of them. In many cases, troops now turned violently on their fellows, determined to cut their way out through their own if need be. By now, even the troops in the rear of the huge formation were becoming aware that things had gone horribly wrong. The commanders of eight legions, seeing the breakdown of the army, elected to withdraw from the field in good order, abandoning a doomed battle.

* * *

 **Little Round Top**

The final action to conclude on this longest day was the battle on Little Round mopping up the main body of the Imperial army would go on, the action at Little Round Top was the last engagement whose outcome was to be fully determined. The advantage of terrain and superior weapons balanced by the sheer number of attackers.

Ironically, the collapse of the main Imperial Army added incentive to the attackers: Now denied an avenue of retreat, they had all the more impetus to take Little Round Top. As casualties mounted on both sides, it did look like it might indeed be possible for the Imperials to force the Americans from the hill, until the 47th Legion found itself under attack from their own rear. These men could be forgiven for thinking that the disaster which had overtaken the main army was now coming around to encircle and engulf them but what actually was happening was that, deprived of their own hill, the Marines of Charlie Company had made a high speed run around the rear of the Imperial Army to launch their own attack on the troops attacking Little Round Top. With no place to go, the commander of the 47th ordered two cohorts of his men to turn about and dig in to the slope of the hill while the remainder continued to advance. This was a viable idea if there had been time to dig in but instead, it merely diminished the force advancing toward the summit.

Up ahead, the survivors of the 56th and 32nd Legions continued to advance on the defenders, paying a bloody toll for every foot of ground. Still, victory seemed within reach but with the report of an enemy force at his rear, Nerva found himself between hammer and anvil. He could still 'win' but it would be a Pyrrhic victory at best. Looking to his men as his mentor, Germanicus had always taught was a commander's duty, Nerva ordered the Legion standard struck.

In the middle of this, Miles Theodosius found himself surrounded by his nightmare. It seemed inescapable now. Enemies advancing both from the front and from behind, the legion standard had fallen and soon he would die. He wanted so much to live! To just go home! He clutched his sword tight, bracing himself for the end.

"Do you really want that?" Someone spoke in a voice that sounded a bit like one of his uncles. "Has not enough blood been spilled for Emroy's sake this day?"

Theodosius looked to see a not unkindly old man gesture to him with open arms, standing between him and several men wearing clothes that were a blotch of greens and browns. The men, armed in the same way as other of the enemies from beyond the Gate, looked wary but apparently were content to let the old man speak.

"You have lives with many possibilities. Do not choose to end them now." The old man addressed the small group of Imperial soldiers.

Theodosius and his companions looked at each other and then dropped their swords.

Captain Douglas looked at Corus consideringly as his men took Theodosius and the others into custody. "That was impressive."

"I just told them what they needed to hear, Captain. Now… forgive me but all this excitement has been a bit much on an old man. I am going to go check the stream for any of my flock." He smiled. "May the gods bless you and your men, Captain."

* * *

 **To Be Continued...**


	11. Side Story pt 3: Rabbit Run

**Here we continue our side story. For those only interested in the Main plot, don't worry. The next chapter will see how things are going back in Japan and will also bring Lieutenant Itami into the picture.**

 **They Fought, We Operated. Part 3**

 **Rabbit Run**

For the next several days, Parna stayed in the shadows, still a little bit afraid of the men who had so completely destroyed the Imperial Army. She kept to the edges of the great encampment, awestruck and a bit intimidated by the pace and scale of construction beyond. Parna also stayed away from the enclosure where thousands of Imperial soldiers were kept under guard.

The one place where she felt the most secure was out behind the buildings with the red and white symbols drawn on them. She had surmised that this was a place where healers worked. It was also the place where she felt safest. Every day she watched the bespectacled little human come and feed and tend the little animals in their cages.

 _"Sorry, I'm late."_ Parna heard him tell the little animals. _"I got stopped by Major Burns. Boy! Is he rough! I thought he just hated people, but he hates us too!"_

That confused and worried Parna a bit. Was this gentle human not considered a 'person' among his own kind?

 _"Well, here you go."_ He said opening their cages in turn and giving each of the animals some of the vegetables on the tray he carried as he checked their fur and gently petted them. _"Now you're eating as good as we do. Boy am I sorry for that!"_

At that time, the thunderous sounds of blasting shook the air as the engineers demolished more of the old defensive works. It was a sound that frightened Parna as much as it did the animals. She took comfort in the soothing tones of the small human's voice as he calmed the little creatures.

 _"It's alright. It's just part of the war."_ He told them. _"You know, if you were American animals, you'd be safe a long way from here. Or maybe not,"_ he considered. _"I'm an American animal and I'm here."_

As she watched, she envied the little creatures even if she did occasionally snatch a stray morsel from their cages after dark when no one was around. It had been over three years since anyone had spoken to her with that tone of kindness and unconditional care and devotion. She tensed just a little as a much taller human, wearing a hat adorned with what Parna recognized as fishing lures, although fancier and more colorful than the simple hand-tied ones she knew, approached.

 _"So Radar? How's the menagerie doing?"_

 _"Oh! Just fine sir. A little shaken up what with all the explosions and such but they're alright now."_ The small human looked up at the other one. _"Uh? Is something wrong sir?"_

The taller man just smiled. " _No, Radar. Everything is going fine. Well, except for all the casualties but that's what happens when young men decide to play soldier. No, your work has been outstanding, Radar. You may not be a doctor, but a lot of men owe you their lives because of how well you help keep things going. We'd never have been able to get set up so fast if it weren't for you. No, Colonel Potter is happy, I'm happy. The only one with any complaints is Major Burns and he's such an anal retentive that both Colonel Potter and myself were treated to a memo on the proper and uniform usage of mess tray compartments."_ The taller man groaned as the source of his annoyance came into view.

 _"Colonel Blake! How long are we going to put up with Corporal O'Reilly's **vermin**?"_

 _"Frank, I'm way overdue for my first cup of coffee this morning, so can you just tell me who shoved a pole up your butt so I can assign someone to have it removed?"_

 _"This little zoo is completely against regulations Henry. It's also a health hazard."_

 _"That's not true sir! I always keep their cages clean!"_

 _"Well, one of your little rats bit me!"_ The weasel-faced human complained.

 _"They're not rats! They're Guinea Pigs!"_

 _"Easy Radar,"_ the tall man said. " _Frank, what was your finger doing in his cage anyway?"_

 _"I was checking to see what O'Reilly was feeding these little beggars. O'Reilly's been sneaking food from the mess tent out to his little 'friends'."_

 _"It was garbage, sir! They were going to throw it out!"_

 _"Relax Radar. Frank, I'm warning you. It's gonna get put in your file that you don't work and play well with others."_

 _"Shoddy discipline Henry. An enlisted man needs to know his place!"_

Burns glared at Radar.

From her vantage point hidden behind a cluster of discarded crates, Parna flinched at the tone many abusive masters used to berate their slaves.

 _"I'll be sure to pass that along to Colonel Potter the next time he's cleaning his Good Conduct Medal,"_ Blake replied. This seemed to make the other man shrink nervously. Parna having no way of knowing that a Good Conduct medal was an award that only an enlisted man could be given.

The small human turned back to his animals and then paused. His eyes were filled with curiosity as he held up a very fine black hair. " _Colonel? Take a look at this."_

 _"Okay, I can see it's a black hair."_

 _"Thing is that it's too fine for human hair and black hairs don't grow on white rabbits, sir."_

He seemed to study it more closely. _"But it feels and looks like a rabbit hair. But how did it get here?"_

He quirked his head. As if sensing something. If he had been one of her people, she could just picture his ears springing up, 'twanged' by something, some flaw around him. _"I think somebody is watching us."_

 _"Are you sure?"_

The taller man asked.

 _"Positive sir."_

 _"Can't be."_

The weasel-faced man objected. _"If someone were hiding back here, I'm sure the sentries would have spotted them by now."_

 _"Your faith in the sentries is duly noted Frank but I'll put my trust in Radar's instincts. I'd better go get some MPs."_

 _"Could you maybe not sir? I don't think whoever it is, wants to hurt anyone. They didn't even hurt my animals. I'll bet whoever it is, they're probably hungry and pretty scared. I don't wanna scare them any more than they already are, sirs."_

 _"This isn't like a stray dog, Radar. The only folks that have been hanging around here that aren't dressed like us have been people who probably wouldn't mind killing us!"_

 _"But those guys are mostly humans, right? Whoever this is, I'm sure they aren't one of them."_

 _"I hope you're right Radar."_

 _"Me too, sir."_

Parna froze, controlling every breath, still afraid to get caught.

And then it happened…

"There's the little beggar! Sabotage! Sabotage!" Frank lunged at the cornered Bunny Girl, tackling her amid a pile of crates and other discarded material. Parna twisted in his grip, quickly turning the tables on the Major.

Realizing he was physically very overmatched, Frank Burns, being Frank Burns, did what his instincts told him to do. He screamed for help in his highest, shrillest voice he could manage.

"Help! Help! Somebody! Help!"

It took only a few seconds for a crowd of people to rush out of the mess to see what was happening. Parna eyed them all fearfully, knowing she couldn't get away and too afraid to let go of Burns.

Trapper John put up his hands to the crowd. "Everybody stay calm. Keep your distance. Let's try not to make any sudden moves folks."

"I don't think she cares that much about the rest of us." Spearchucker Jones commented. "Looks like most of her attention is on Frank."

"But what did I do?" Burns squeaked in fear.

"You mean aside from tackling her, Frank?" Henry rolled his eyes.

Hawkeye slapped himself and gestured. "Frank! It's obvious! It's that lucky rabbit's foot you carry! She wants her brother's foot back!"

Parna paid no heed to the other humans. She was frozen with fear Then she heard that gentle voice speaking to her.

"Easy now. It's alright. I promise no one is gonna hurt you. Okay?" Radar spoke in a calm soothing tone.

"What in Sam Hill is going on out here?" Colonel Potter demanded, coming up on the scene after hurrying from his office.

"It's okay Colonel. It's okay." Radar repeated, more for Parna than for the Colonel's benefit. Radar reached out to gently touch the Warrior Bunny on the shoulder. "Boy, that's soft." He observed in that calm, soothing tone. "I promise nothing bad is going to happen, okay?"

"O'Reilly!" Burns pleaded, "Don't let her hurt me!"

"Just don't make any sudden moves, Frank," Henry told him. "Don't panic."

"Who's panicking?"

"You are, Frank!"

""Henry? What the devil is going on?" Potter repeated.

"Frank found a stowaway, sir. And like every woman he's ever met, he doesn't know what to do with her or how to get rid of her."

"It's okay," Hawkeye spoke calmly, adding his voice to Radar's, who began to gently rub circles on Parna's back to calm her. "No one is going to hurt you, especially not Major Quiver there. Right, Frank?"

"Right!" Burns let out a nervous laugh. "I'd never hurt anyone! Honest!"

"Wouldn't believe that." Radar muttered under his breath but continued to sooth the Warrior Bunny. "No one is gonna hurt nobody. I promise you that. Major Burns just likes to bark a lot. But you gotta try not to let it get to you. He's not so bad. He even tries to help people sometimes. And I promise just about everyone around here is pretty good people. I'm not gonna let anybody hurt you, and we're all gonna try and help you but you gotta let go of Major Burns." Radar gently told her. "Come on, let us help you, okay? I think Major Burns is plenty scared and real sorry for what he done. Right Major?"

"Uh huh… Very, so very, very, very, very scared and very, very, very sorry." Burns looked to both Radar and Parna with a pleading look in his terror-stricken eyes.

Parna released her grip, she felt her fear subside as the small human, as Radar, her mind corrected, guided her off the terrified Major Burns.

"It's okay. You're safe here. No one is gonna hurt you or nothing. There are lots of people who want to help you, including me. So? Do you got a name?"

"Parna." She said in a small voice. "My name is Parna."

"Parna? That's a pretty name. I'm Walter."

* * *

A few minutes later, Parna was in the infirmary, being given a careful examination by Captain Hunnicutt and Major Houlihan. The entire time, Radar staying within close proximity. Hawkeye stepping over to brief Colonel Potter.

"Alright Hawkeye, I've convinced Burns not to press charges. What General Hazama and I want to find out is how the hell she got that close, right past the sentries."

"Hazama already knows?" Pierce asked, a little dismayed. He knew and trusted Colonel Potter's judgment but was uncomfortable with line officers.

"It's called the chain of command." Potter reminded him. "I had to file a report as soon as I got back to my office. Luckily, Hazama's so busy, he's letting us handle this in-house. Now tell me what you've got."

"What we've got is a traumatized and scared girl with black fur and a little powder puff tail that wants to start carrying a fuzzy little corporal for security. Did you notice the ear?"

"Yeah?"

"I think it may have been self-inflicted."

"My God." Potter shook his head in dismay at the idea."Well, Henry is calling Naval Intelligence. Apparently, they have a little more information about her people."

"How does the Navy know?" After all, it wasn't like they were dealing with mermaids or anywhere near an ocean for that matter.

"Apparently there are a few being detained at Yokosuka. They've got a basic medical rundown and some history from interviewing the ones there."

"Well at least somebody knows something."

"I hate to bring this up, Hawkeye, but we're gonna need our company clerk back at some point."

"Yeah but he's the only one who seems able to keep her calmed down. She starts shaking when he gets too far away. And I don't think Radar's of a mind to leave her anyway."

"Alright. I'll have Klinger fill in for him. Just make sure he takes care of himself."

"Right. While we're at it, it might be a good idea to get Sid Freedman over here."

"I'll make the call."

* * *

 **To Be Continued...**

 **A/N: Again, the next chapter will bring us back to the main story and Itami makes his entrance.**


	12. Side Story, Guest Installment

**I know I said that the next update would bring us back to the main story, but then I received this from a reader. This is a bonus piece written by jwolfe_beta on the SV board and is faithfully replicated here.**

AN: Because M*A*S*H was far from laughs at times.

 **They Fought, We Operated: Special Guest Feature**

- **The Briefing** -

It was a somewhat tense meeting among of the command staff and senior members of the 407th (well those that could attend the meeting, the life of an army surgeon was hectic at the very least) and the messenger from the Intel boys back home. The bad news was that there was a messenger in the first place instead of a message. Which meant that the ISC thought this was dicey information (and Potter didn't want more stress). The good news was that this one was saner than Flagg (not that was saying much).

"Alright." The man started. "Everyone here knows how gossip spreads in army bases but my superiors requested that you try and only inform the officers here. Or more realistically, when it does spread to the non-coms, try and keep things semi-calm."

Pierce nodded and without getting up from his chair, kicked the office's door-frame once. "That means stop listening in Klinger, we'll fill you in on the juicy parts later."

"No idea what you're talking about sir." Came a voice from outside the office that tried it's hardest to sound innocent. "I'm just filing some reports." It did not succeed.

"Klinger!" Potter growled.

"Right, I just remembered that some forms needed to be sent over to post-op, very important, gotta be done right away, bye sirs!" Rapid footsteps sounded as Klinger beat a hasty retreat.

Reactions varied. Pierce and Hunnicutt chuckled, Winchester looked mildly amused, Houlihan was affronted and Potter barely even blinked. The stunts of company clerks were far from a new thing for him.

"Thank you, captain, now we can get down to brass tacks." The officer retrieved a file from his briefcase and began to leaf through the contained files. "Two days ago, Col. Potter requested additional information based on the discovery of the Leporid girl by Corp. O'Reilly-"

"Leporid? The girl has a name, captain." Potter interjected, somewhat irate at the seeming dehumanization of the patients at his CSH. Didn't matter if the young lady was human or not, there were certain things the old army surgeon would not accept.

"I do believe Colonel, that the label used is a placeholder for the name of the young girl's...people," Winchester answered. "Simplistically based on the taxonomic family Leporidae in which rabbits and hares are placed." His near eye-roll showed his opinion of the so-called 'wit' of the army choosing such a title.

"At least until we can find out they call themselves. So far we haven't exactly had the opportunity to get into their national history. Boys back home have been focusing on who the people that declared war on us are." The intel officer said with a shrug before extracted some stapled together papers.

"As for treating her and any other...exotic patients, the labs have the first round of compatibility tests done so you can have a list of dos and don'ts. Most are common sense but there are a few allergies and bad reactions to things we don't even think about in most of our new neighbors, human and otherwise."

Houlihan took the offered document and started flicking through them, muttering as she started cataloging all the minor and major changes that her nurses would have to do.

"As for the girl's...condition, we believe it to be directly related to the overall culture of the nation answering the title of The Saderan Empire which attacked Japan through the Gate. While it isn't a perfect match, from what has been found, these people seem to be very similar to the classical Roman empire."

A muttered curse of "Veni, Vedi, Vici." came from Winchester.

Pierce, however, was somewhat skeptical. "What's the problem? Home of Latin, toga parties, overblown circuses and 'Et Tu Brute?'."

"It's not about who they are, Hawk. It's about how they treat everyone else isn't it?" Hunnicutt added, directing the question towards the messenger.

The captain nodded. "Correct Captain Hunnicutt. Any other peoples are considered nothing but barbarians with no rights and whose destiny is to be conquered and their lands taken. If you must deal with them particularly outside the camp, ensure that you have armed backup. Do not expect anything resembling Geneva convention codes of conduct."

"The young miss Parna was an escaped slave no doubt." Winchester's voice was steady but you could easily tell he was upset. "And in regards to her removed ear?"

At this, the man was visibly uncomfortable. "From what we have been able to find out, it is a common 'mark of ownership' that Saderans perform on newly enslaved Leporids. I can't say what a self-inflicted form of it might mean."

"I hope that you people gave Dr. Freedman the 411 about this before he got here," Pierce asked, visibly trying to retain his calm.

"The psychiatrists were the first we told. Last item on the agenda is that you will be getting additional personnel and equipment."

At this, there was a collective blink from the 407 staff. The army and government just giving them extra hands and goods? That sort of thing just didn't happen.

"Specifically some specialists on loan from the CDC, containment and sterilization equipment along with antibiotics and vaccines **.** In particular 20,000 doses of vaccine code V041 ICD-9." This left most present with puzzled expressions, as the code didn't appear to ring any bells.

Apart from one."Sweet Nefertiti!" Potter exclaimed, his face going nearly as white as his hair. "Why in the name of Sweet Fanny Adams are you sending us that much Smallpox vaccine?"

"Smallpox vaccine?" Hunnicutt questioned in surprise. "Are you saying we could face a bioweapons attack of some kind? I mean, even then our guys should have already been vaccinated and you're sending us more doses than we have people out here."

"A needed precaution sir. During the Interrogations, plagues were mentioned and some of the symptoms of one described do resemble smallpox. I'm no expert but this is a whole new world with a civilization that has large urban centers, people and livestock sharing space, pre-modern sewage systems and to top it off, multiple near-human species living alongside them adds a whole new element to zoonosis. Not to mention the number of prisoners and Saderan wounded here, an outbreak is a possibility we can't ignore. Also, the experts feel there is a very real chance we will encounter a brand new disease or an unknown variation on an existing one. So they're sending everything."

"Well son, I guess you folks have your reasons for being so twitchy. I just hope you're seeing smoke with no fire. This old war-horse doesn't need any more surprises."

After that last bombshell, the meeting degenerated to more mundane matters. As it wound down and the officer left to head back through the Gate the five started trying to figure out new policy and how to properly brief the rest. Another day at an army hospital, another SNAFU to work through.

* * *

AN2: The Empire is from transplanted Romans from Earth and the **Antonine Plague** might have been caused by smallpox. Either way, there are going to be all new diseases that the army would have to be ready for. It just makes sense that the hospital would be among the first to be informed.

AN3: And yes, Potter has a bunch of weird sayings that he would use in the show terms ' **Potterisms** '.


	13. Chapter 9: Turn

A/N: ~ denotes speaking in Japanese~

 **Chapter 9: Turn**

 **Special Detention Facility, Yokosuka**

 _My son, I envy that tonight you will rest under the stars of my homeland and I wish you good fortune in your travels but I must say I wish you were still here. Your successor is a complete lackwit! Also, the next time I see you, I must remember to give you that ring. I need to thank Chief Richardson for helping me find a craftsman to handle the work. Even if Imperial Suwani and Denari are not the coins of this realm, gold and silver are still gold and silver. Even here, wealth has its uses. Now if I could only buy your successor a heart and some brains…_

To say that relations between Lady Octavia and Lieutenant Fallon, the new liaison officer, were frigid was like describing a typhoon as 'mildly inclement weather'. For one thing, Octavia was informed that she would have to make a request through Senior Chief Richardson to see Lieutenant Fallon at his convenience.

Done were polite conversations over shared meals. It seemed that politics and displays of dominance were the new order of the game. The one meeting Octavia had with Lieutenant Fallon had been a ham-handed farce with Fallon either unable or unwilling to hide the condescension in his eyes.

Fortunately, Octavia was a seasoned veteran of years of military and court politics, concealing her emotions behind a facade of well-practiced smiles and courtly manners. It was a mark of her ability; indeed, that she was able to mask the anger, frustration, and worry that she felt that all the work and goodwill accomplished to date might be jeopardized by one arrogant and petty little man. _Perhaps it is good to know that even such an advanced culture had its share of self-important cretins,_ Octavia thought to herself, but if Lieutenant Fallon believed he could intimidate her, then he was very mistaken. _Your people may reign supreme on the battlefield young man, but you have entered MY arena. May whatever gods you believe in have mercy on your soul for I will have none._

* * *

 **Gibraltar**

 _"Lieutenant, beating these people in the field isn't the question. We can wipe the map with them at any time and any place we choose. What we need is to be able to start talking to these people. That's why you're here. No one else has spent as much time actually sitting down with these people and talking with them. That's the kind of expertise we need now."_

"Yes, sir."

"We need to go out and meet the locals, reassure them that their new neighbors aren't a bunch of kill-happy maniacs. We want to show them we're good neighbors and along the way, we need to map out their social and political structure so we can start figuring out who to talk to about ending this little war."

Colonel Emerson's words echoed in Taylor's head as he left the Colonel's newly completed office and headed for what would become the base's main motor pool, although at the moment it amounted to an unpaved parking lot. Looking around himself, the base certainly looked impressive, even if still in an early stage of construction.

The planned design for the main compound was a rather elegant looking star-shaped fortress. This was despite the protests of many American engineers, who felt the design inefficient and impractical. The Japanese view of the structure prevailed as they argued that the base was unlikely to face serious attack once completed and that the design should, therefore, be as much as a political and cultural statement as a military installation. Once completed, most Americans would fondly refer to it as the 'Starbase'.

As he strode past the unfinished Marine barracks, he continued to think back to his meeting.

 _"You'll be working as part of the Third Deep Reconnaissance Squad under First Lieutenant Youji Itami. The Hero of Ginza, I'm sure you must have seen the big commendation ceremony and press blitz."_

"Can't say I did sir. I think I was busy discussing anthrax testing on livestock that day."

Emerson chuckled. "Fair enough, Lieutenant. Just if someone ever decides to pin a medal on you, try and pay attention."

"Certainly sir."

"At any rate, you'll be there to observe and assist where possible. Itami will be in command."

"What sort of officer is Itami, sir?"

"He's Special Forces and his performance in Ginza speaks for itself. That said, he's got some notes in his file which concern me. It's a mixed bag Lieutenant. Emerson frowned. "Lieutenant, listen carefully to me son, I know you're Navy, not Marines, but you're still an American officer. If things start falling apart out there, do what you have to. Don't politely follow a bad situation into the ground. Use your best judgment and we'll sort it out later."

"Aye, sir."

Taylor certainly hoped he would never be caught in any such situation. Wearing the green and tan camouflage of the Marine Corps in no way made him Chesty Puller and he had no inclination to pretend he was.

Presently, he walked up on a small group of JSDF infantry and knew he had found the group he was looking for as he overheard the skinny Lieutenant address the others,

~ I am Itami, commander of Recon Squad Three.~

Taylor heard the Lieutenant mutter something about missing the Yurikamome.

~All right! Let's get going!~

 _Don't tell me nobody told these guys I was coming. This could be awkward.  
_

"Excuse me, Lieutenant.' He spoke in a firm but respectful voice."Lieutenant Youji Itami?"

The officer looked at him with a blank expression as Taylor saluted him. Taylor was not the most spit-shined officer in the service, but the importance of making a good initial impression had long been impressed upon him.

Taylor waited for Itami to return his salute before continuing.

"Lieutenant Taylor, United States Navy. I have orders to report to you as unit observer."

"Oh!" Itami's confused expression yielded to recognition. "I forgot about that! Well! Welcome aboard. Time to get going, eh?"

"It's your campaign, Lieutenant." Taylor nodded and at Itami's gesture, got into the Humvee waiting in the lead position. Technically it was a Toyota High Mobility Vehicle, but to Taylor, the distinction was as meaningless as the difference between a DC-3 and the Japanese produced L2D 'Tabby' that was a licensed copy of the famed Douglas airliner. That is to say, none at all. Being one of two dozen recon teams, 3rd Recon was one of the teams assigned to the North East quadrant. Driving at a conservative speed they reached a small village shortly after noon. The village was marked in one of the earlier aerial surveys so the unit was able to halt about half a mile from the village gate while Itami discussed the best way to approach the small community.

"Best not to all of us drive up to the front door out of the blue. " Taylor commented.

"Yes, I agree." Itami nodded. "I think you and Sergeant Kurokawa should go."

"Just the two of us, hmm?" Taylor raised an eyebrow.

"Of course not, Sergeants Kuribayashi and Tomita will go with you."

Taylor shook his head. "Yes, but then our little group would be missing that command presence it so desperately cries out for. I just don't see how we can pull this off without you Lieutenant." Taylor grinned.

Kurokawa looked at the two men with amusement."If you two strong men are too frightened, I can handle this on my own." The medic told them.

Both Lieutenants looked at her. "No way. You, Sergeant, are the single most indispensable person here." Taylor told her flatly.

"That's right" Itami agreed.."Fine. Kurokawa and I will go in first. Taylor, you and Kuribayashi will follow behind us."

"Right." Taylor retrieved the M4 Carbine that the Marines had issued him and made doubly certain the safety was on. _Yeah… I'm a friggin' Real American Hero. I'll probably blow my own foot off._ Following behind Itami and Kurokawa, Taylor and Kuribayashi walked down the well-worn cart path.

~Great!~ Shino muttered to herself. ~We're doomed! Our L-T is gone in the head and what do we need with…~

Taylor mentally tensed.

~...a sailor?~ Shino finished.

Taylor chuckled. ~Just in case the enemy uses a battleship to block the road, Sergeant.~

Shino whirled her head in surprise.

~Yes, Sergeant Kuribayashi. I speak Japanese.~ He shrugged. ~At least I speak it well enough to thank you for not saying 'gaijin' just now.~

~But… You didn't say… We've all been speaking English for nothing?~ Shino sputtered.

~Did anyone ask if I spoke Japanese? I just let everyone make their own assumptions. Once I was certain that it wouldn't endanger the mission, I figured I would just hold onto that piece of information. You can learn a lot about someone if he doesn't think you can understand what he's really saying.~

Kuribayashi grinned in recognition. ~A ploy then sir.~

~Yes and one I'd appreciate if you didn't spoil for everyone else. I've been listening to your Lieutenant and Sergeant Kurata carry on about Cat-girls and Elves and manga and anime and whatnot for HOURS and biting my tongue. I'm just afraid they'll start singing.~

~May the heavens save us!~

~By all means Sergeant.~

Presently, Kurokawa and Itami reached the village gate to begin making contact. Taylor and Kuribayashi holding back a few yards in cover, keeping a watchful eye just to be safe. Everyone in 3rd Recon would have agreed that Kurokawa had a face and demeanor that folks easily warmed to. Taylor had to admit that Itami's ability to play the part of a loveable goof was probably also useful in helping coax the reluctant villagers to feel safe as Itami signaled for Taylor and Kuribayashi to join them and then ordered the rest of the squad to come read the sign above the gate.

"'Coda Village'. A nice private gated community for those who like to live off the beaten path." Remembering his language lessons with Lucilla, Taylor stepped up to help Itami talk with the village elder. Though Itami did not know it, Lady Octavia had been kind enough to assign her house scribe to put together the phrasebook that Itami was now holding and rather horribly mangling. To further put the locals at ease, Taylor took out the coin purse Octavia had given him and bought some local produce.

Kuribayashi looked at him with interest.

"It's my allowance money," he said simply

The Village elder, a man named Aelred, helped them fill in some of the details on their map, local place names, features not notable from the air and where nearby roads led. Taylor filed the man's name in his own notes as it helped him piece together the riddle of just who the Saderans were.

Soon it was time to move on. There was a forest ahead that they should reach in time to make camp. Unfortunately, the banter between Itami and Kurata over fantasy creatures and manga and anime finally gave way to singing as the pair burst into the theme for 'Mei Company'.

Taylor groaned inwardly. _You two have no respect for the classics: Space Battleship Yamato, Rurouni Kenshin, Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex, and as for magical girls? My Waifu could beat up your waifu. My other waifu could beat up you!_ He thought, resisting the urge to mutiny as the singing continued.

Further down the road, they followed a stream to the outskirts of the forest only to find it ablaze. The little convoy stopped as they got out to get a better look with their field glasses.

That's when they got their first look at the Flame Dragon.

~It's like a one-headed King Ghidorah.~ Sergeant Major Kuwahara exclaimed.

~That stuff's so old, Pops!~ Itami remarked.

~More like Tolkien's Smaug, Sergeant Major, but what I want to know is: Where's Godzilla when you really need him?~

Most everyone turned to look at Taylor in surprise. He waved it off. ~Later,~ he said flatly as Kuribayashi stepped up.

~Commander Itami, what will we do now?~

~Kuribayashi-chan, I'm too scared to go alone. Wanna come with me?~

~No thank you.~

~Oh, okay then.~

For his own part, Taylor was perfectly willing to take the better part of valor. Challenging Smaug without a plan seemed a good way to end up on the wrong side of a flambeing. Then the massive beast flew off, apparently satisfied with his day's work. _And I sure hope it's a 'he'!_

Itami drew their attention back to the immediate moment. ~Do you think that dragon has a habit of burning down forests for no reason?~

~If you're interested in dragon behavior, why don't you go after it yourself, Commander?~ Kuribayashi remarked flippantly.

Itami paid it no heed. ~No, I mean, don't you remember what they told us at Coda Village? About there being a settlement in the forest?~

~Oh crap!~Kurata exclaimed.

~Looks like we'll have to set up camp later!~ Itami told them.

~Understood,~ Kuwuhara acknowledged. ~All units! Prepare to move out!~

As they got back in their vehicles, it began to rain.

* * *

 **To Be Continued.**


	14. Chapter 10: Dragon Road

A/N: Characters are speaking Japanese unless otherwise noted.

 **Chapter 10: Dragon Road**

 **Third Recon Squad, Koan Forest**

They arrived at what had once been the Kowan settlement a couple of hours after nightfall. For most of the night, the flames were still too hot to permit entry beyond the edge of the woods. After dawn, with the ground still smoldering, the squad moved in to investigate. The acrid smoke still stinging the eyes. Here and there persistent embers burned and the remains of once proud trees continued to smolder. The smell reminded Taylor of a charcoal pit and they were in it. Where once had been bright greens, the vibrant colors of life, all that was left was black and grey, the colors of death. The only sounds were the sounds of their footfalls amid a moonscape, unnaturally devoid of even insect life. The only thing that looked even remotely intact was the well in what once must have been the center of the village. If one looked carefully, it was still possible to see the depression in the ground where a well-worn footpath cut through the village, with one end leading down to the stream and the other end leading into what yesterday had been forest.

"Base has responded to our contact report." Private Tozu reported.

 _About damn time!_ Taylor thought angrily. They had reported their sighting of the dragon the evening before as an extremely large and destructive biological, apparently a dragon. Apparently, the radio watch had not flagged it as urgent, so it had taken precious time to work its way through the chain of command.

"What do they say?" Itami asked.

"Message received. Report further sightings. Request for air support is being taken under advisement."

 _And thanks for nothing._ Taylor groused silently to himself. Sure, their report might seem incredible but what was normal out here anyway?

"The ground is still hot." Sergeant Major Kuwahara noted

"It'll be a miracle if there are any survivors." Sergeant Kurata commented

"Let's assume there are," Taylor replied. "If you were in this village, where would you run to for safety?" Taylor looked around. _Let's get the opinion of a ground pounder on this._ "Kuribayashi!"

"Yes, sir?" She responded quickly

Taylor frowned at the ground. He knew that it was best for an officer not to look ignorant. In this case, he could justifiably state it was outside his realm of expertise but it was still a bad precedent. On the other hand, If he acted as if he were being the teacher, using the Socratic method to guide Kuribayashi to the answers, he would merely be displaying the traits of a good officer. "Walk me through this Sergeant. Study this ground. You are escorting a high priority target Where do you go to try and escape?"

Shino considered Taylor's question carefully, trying to picture herself amid the calamity that had occurred here. "Away from the deep woods. Anywhere but there."

"Why?" Taylor asked. "Don't you want to get into deeper cover?" He challenged, making sure to maintain a calm and neutral tone.

Shino closed her eyes, with her arms crossed over her chest as she imagined herself heading for the cover of the deep woods but saw the flames spreading faster than she could run."Yes, but the woods are a trap. Escaping the dragon means nothing if I can't escape the fire."

Taylor nodded approvingly. "The stream then." They had followed its course to arrive at the woods. Perhaps survivors had followed it further along in their efforts to escape?."Follow it further South?" He suggested in that same inquiring manner

Shino opened her eyes, turning them to the stream bank where the sound of water burbling on its course was the only truly natural sound to be heard, studying it with a level gaze and nodded in agreement, pleased that the Lieutenant was relying on her. In the back of her subconscious, she probably realized that as a Naval officer, that Taylor truly did not know the answers to the questions he posed. But it was good to know he had faith in her to find the right answers and saving face in a way that reflected well upon the both of them. In a way, it was very Japanese. "Hai!"

As the two started to follow up on their hunch, Itami sat down on the edge of a well to take a drink from his canteen, the unnatural heat affecting everyone. First Sergeant Tomita made report to him.

"We've counted thirty-two structures or rather what's left of thirty-two structures. But so far, we have only found twenty-seven bodies. Obviously, it's too few. Most were probably trapped in the rubble when the buildings collapsed in the fire."

Itami sighed, running the numbers. "Assuming three persons per building, a hundred people died." War was one thing. This was something different. The inhabitants of this village could not have been considered a serious threat to a creature as large and as powerful as that dragon and the charred remains of at least two dozen victims told them this was not the act of a normal predator. Predators killed and ate. This was simply murder.

Tomita shook his head as he could not find words adequate to describe the anguish he felt in his heart for these people His hands clenching at his sides, his innards twisting in a knot. "Terrible," he said finally, knowing it was altogether insufficient a word for this.

Itami nodded. "We should report that the dragons here may attack settlements." Only by thinking of his duties could he pull his mind and feelings from the awfulness around them. Moreover, he had to be the example for his squad. No matter how horrible this all was, they still had a job to do and for once, Itami was thankful for it.

"Even the small dragons the enemy used as aerial cavalry were resistant to rifle fire. It took 12.7 mm machine guns with armor piercing rounds to penetrate. Something as big as this thing? We're going to need a lot more firepower." Tomita noted.

"It's a problem." Itami agreed. "Best to find its nest. I wouldn't want to try fighting it in the open." Itami dropped a bucket into the well, hoping to refill his canteen. Instead, it made a hollow 'clunk' as it hit something solid.

Tomita took out a flashlight and shone its beam down into the well. That's when Itami and Tomita saw there was someone there…

In the meantime, Taylor and Kuribayashi continued to head south, following the stream. Here the ground was cool. If anyone had gotten this far, they were probably alive for the moment. That's when Shino heard it first. It sounded like a voice, young and insistent and speaking a language neither Taylor or Kuribayashi recognized.

 _"Mom! Mom! Please don't leave me. Someone will find us."_

Shino held up a hand and signaled a direction to Taylor, who nodded. They heard a second voice, more mature, fainter, as if tired.

 _"My son… I love you so much. I promise I am not ready to leave you."_

Taylor did not recognize the language but hopefully, being close to Coda Village, these people might speak Popularii, the form of Latin in use in this world.

 _"Hello? Is anyone there? We're here to help!" I expect Lucilla would give me low scores for my diction, but hopefully, I did well enough to be understood._

Taylor and Kuribayashi heard the young voice first as they got closer.

 _"They must be from Coda Village mom. We'll be okay now, right?"_

 _"Of course, we will, Galador. We'll be fine."_ Though the boy's mother did not believe this. Villagers seldom came this way and she had no expectation that they would take in Elves. Especially when in all likelihood, they too would soon be fleeing from the Flame Dragon. But there was no choice but to hope. She heard the footfalls and then with her son huddled in her arms, she looked up to see two of the strangest humans she had ever seen in her three hundred and eight years.

Taylor nodded to Shino, who thumbed her mic open. "We have found two survivors. South on the stream bank."

"Roger. We have also found a survivor." Kurata's voice came back. "The Lieutenant has gone down into a well to retrieve her. She appears to be alive but unconscious. Do you need Kurokawa?"

Lieutenant Taylor shook his head 'no'. If their survivor was unconscious, then the medic was definitely needed there, not here.

"Negative. Kuribayashi out."

They took a moment to get a look at the two elves before them. The mother was covered in soot and had some cuts and bruises. The son was physically unharmed. Both were shivering slightly from being out in a cold rain all night. Taylor took off his field jacket and wrapped it gently around the mother. Shino likewise took her jacket off and after waiting for a nod from his mother put it around the boy. The mother winced in pain as she tried to stand on a twisted ankle.

 _No wonder why they didn't get any further_. Taylor realized.

"Lieutenant?" Kuribayashi asked. "Should we continue searching for survivors?"

"No. If anyone else made it out of all that, they're probably long gone. These two need our help now. Let's head back."

"Roger!" Shino picked up the boy, who spoke to them in the local human dialect of Popularii and identified himself proudly as Galador and said his mother's name was Aenaire.

After bandaging Aenaire's ankle, Taylor carried her on his back to where the rest of the squad was waiting. Taylor lowered Aenaire gently down so Kurokawa could examine her once the medic was finished tending her other patient. It did not take a medic to know that what Aenaire and her son needed right now was to get warm. He looked around. "Somebody breakout some blankets and if anyone would care to donate a clean undershirt and shorts? And somebody look into our ration kits and break out some soup or something? Let's get some heated up for these two and get them in one of the trucks and crank up the heater."

A chorus of Yes sirs' and 'Rogers' and 'Hais' resounded as meantime, Aenaire got her first clear look at the other survivor amid these strange humans.

"Tuka!" She exclaimed in the Elven tongue, recognizing those golden locks and the serene face of the younger girl who now lay unconscious under the ministrations of what must be a healer. That her father, Hodor was nowhere in evidence, however, could only mean that he had perished with all the others. Aenaire glanced around, hoping that perhaps she might see the warm and strong face of her brother Gadrel. It was he who had directed her to take Galador and run for the stream as he grabbed their father's prized bow, determined to ensure their survival, even at the cost of his own life.

But in her heart, she had accepted that Gadrel was, indeed, dead. In the days ahead, she would mourn many, but for now, she embraced the knowledge that she, her son, and Tuka had all survived.

As to their current situation, it was obvious that these humans were not simple villagers by any means. Their demeanor and their clothes, while unusual, clearly bespoke their status as soldiers. And yet they carried neither swords, nor spears, nor shields, nor armor. As she held the cup of soup that had been given her, she considered that instead of making a fire, they had simply poured water into a pouch and from that had produced hot soup. _Perhaps these people were an order of wizards?_ She thought to herself. But this still made little sense. Perhaps she would learn more later, but for now, it was enough to hold her son.

So the Third Recon Squad got underway once more. Behind and unknown to any of them, three other survivors of Kowan Village continued to flee, unknowing of what had transpired in the remains of their village.

In the meantime, Itami decided that the best course of action would be to head back to Coda Village and see if perhaps they could take in the survivors of this settlement. With the three Elves loaded into the back of the Humvee, where Kurokawa could tend them, the little convoy headed back to Coda Village. Reaching the village in under an hour, Itami and Taylor met immediately with the Village Elder. Unfortunately, this meeting had not produced a solution to what to do with the survivors of the Koan Forest village as the elder told them that not only could Coda Village not take in the elves but with a Flame dragon active in the area, they would have to evacuate Coda Village immediately.

To that end, Itami offered for Third Recon to assist the evacuation. It was an all-hands exercise helping to pack wagons, prioritizing what had to be taken and then what could be taken. Lieutenant William Taylor might not be proficient in the arts of infantry combat, but what he did possess was intense training in the art of damage control taught by the most demanding of practitioners in the world.

With that in mind, Taylor quickly found the Village blacksmith and carpenter. Promising them room in Third Recon's own vehicles if needed, Taylor had them inspect and shore up every wagon in the village. If time was of the essence, then it would not be wasted in haste. This did not prevent the loss of a wagon from overloading, but it did prevent others from breaking down as the refugees from Coda Village set out, not knowing where they would go.

Getting into the Humvee, Taylor smiled at Kurokawa, who was still tending to the girl identified as Tuka while the other elves and three curious local boys looked on. Then he stuck his head up front and addressed Itami. "I suppose we'll have to report this to base."

Itami leaned back with an apparent lack of concern. "The radio doesn't seem to be working. Must be atmospherics or some such."

"Must be." Taylor agreed and left it at that and withdrew into the back and turned to Aenaire. Fortunately, Aenaire and her son both understood Popularii. This made conversation at least possible, although awkward since no one was speaking in his or her native language.

 _"How are you?"_ Taylor asked in that shared tongue.

Aenaire looked at her son who was resting peacefully by her side. _"I am alive and with the most precious thing in my world safe by my side.I would say that makes me very happy, even with what we've lost."_ She ventured a warm smile. _"And what land do you people come from? You certainly aren't from Coda Village, nor from the Empire, I would say."_

 _"We come from lands far away."_

 _"You come from beyond the sacred beginning then?"_

"The Gate you mean?"

"Yes. Though I have not seen it open in my span, My father told stories of meeting men from beyond the Gate.."

Aenaire replied.

 _"Well, it appears that someone sent an army through that Gate and into the land of Japan, whence most of the soldiers here are from. We have come to explain to them this was not a good idea."_

"I see. And what will you do with the lands you conquer?"

"We aren't here to conquer, though we intend to hold on to this Gate to make certain another such transgression doesn't occur."

"And the people of these lands? How will you treat them?"

 _"To those who will only accept war, we can only give war and war is something we have learned horribly well. But to those who would offer us friendship, then I only hope our leaders will choose to act as friends."_ He glanced at Kurokawa and Itami, who were discussing calling for more vehicles as apparently, Itami had not bothered telling the medic about the radio being 'broken', and at Kurata. _"As we wish to be as friends."_

Their discussion was interrupted by Kurata reporting. "Someone's coming from up ahead."

Taylor smiled at Aenaire. _"I had better check what's going on."_

Itami looked through his field glasses. "Crows?" He then jumped back in surprise to see a pretty young girl carrying a halberd, sitting as if waiting for them. Her bright rose-colored eyes sparkled mischievously as the thin smile on her lips suggested anticipation.

"A Gothic Lolita girl?!" Itami exclaimed. Taylor stuck his head back up front for a look. Presently, the girl stood up and walked calmly toward them, halberd held upright.

 _"Where do you come from?"_ She asked mildly. Taylor was reminded of a judge who wished to see if the suspect would attempt to lie his way out of trouble when the judge already knew the truth. Something about her attire was sending an urgent signal to his brain to recall some important piece of information he had been told. _"Where are you going?"_ She added.

Apparently, without their phrasebooks open, this line of inquiry left Itami and Kurata at a loss to comprehend. Taylor frowned, trying to remember.

"She appears to be a child," Kurokawa noted. Just then, the three Coda children bounded out of the back of the vehicle in delight and recognition.

 _"It's the oracle!"_ They exclaimed.

 _Oracle? Crap!_ Taylor thought as it clicked. Lady Octavia herself had taught him to know the major temples, gods, and their apostles.

 _For us, Lieutenant, the Gods of our world are not a question of belief or faith as they are in yours. They are a part of our lives and their apostles walk among us. We ask for their favor but the gods do as they wish and their apostles carryout those wishes. Your tools and weapons may be far greater than any beheld in our world my son but you are still mortal. I give you this knowledge so you may avoid the displeasure of one who is not. I ask you not to rely solely on the protection of your God, but in the mind he fashioned for you, for our Gods will not spare you in his name. They would slay you and bring the matter up with him at his convenience._

Out in front of the truck, the children and several other villagers rushed to greet the oracle. These people she greeted in a manner appearing most friendly as she repeated her first question to them.

To the Oracle, they told the tale of their flight from Coda Village.

"They appear to be praying to her," Kurokawa noted.

"So there's some religious reason for that weird outfit?" Itami wondered.

"Ho boy… Is there ever!" Taylor told them as the Oracle turned her head toward them. It was as if she had heard and even understood Itami's remark about her clothing.

 _"Who are these strange people?"_ She asked the children as she studied the truck and Itami intently.

 _"They saved us! They're good people!"_ One of the boys proclaimed.

 _"So you aren't being forced out of your village?"_ The Oracle asked to be certain.

 _"Nope!"_ He told her.

 _Out of the mouths of children comes the truth!_ Taylor agreed hopefully in his mind.

She seemed to relax a little as she again studied the truck. _"How does this move?"_

 _"I don't know but it's way comfier than our carts!"_ The boy told her.

 _"Oh? A comfy ride huh?"_ She licked her lips in a most unsettling way as she looked up at Itami. _"I'd like to see how it feels to ride it too."_

Taylor had to give Itami credit for going down with a sinking ship as Itami so innocently recited the words in Popularii that were at the very front of the phrasebooks they had been issued.

 _"Hello? How are you?"_ Itami got out in stilted Popularii.

"Well, Lieutenant," Taylor told Itami. "I think I'll grab my gear and hop the half ton."

Itami blinked as the Apostle smiled at him intently.

In the meantime, Aenaire looked at Taylor as he grabbed his gear. He explained. _"Lieutenant Itami is going to be having company and I wouldn't want them to be too crowded."_

 _"Ah!"_ She said, observing the Oracle. _"If we might, I think Galador and I would join you?"_

 _"I don't see why not!"_ He said. As they exited the vehicle, he bowed to the Oracle. _"Rory Mercury, your name precedes you. The Lord of the Forbidden Interior awaits your presence."_

Rory smiled and gave an accepting bow in return and then hopped into the Hummer.

Taylor suppressing a smirk as the Oracle began to make Itami's life more interesting.

"Traitor!" Itami called out as Taylor walked away.

"You'll get over it Itami," Taylor replied as he opened the door to the half ton and Aenaire and Galador got in and he followed, closing the door. Space was a little tight with Galador forced to sit in his mother's lap, but it was definitely the more peaceful ride as the column got back underway.

* * *

 **To Be Continued.**


	15. Chapter 11: Journeys End, Journeys Begin

**Chapter 11: Journey's End, Journeys Begin**

 **Gibraltar**

The encounter with the Flame Dragon had been an exercise in frustration for Lieutenant Taylor. The M4 carbine he carried simply did not have the punch to be of use as they attempted to distract the beast from the civilians. Filled with a feeling of powerlessness, all he could do was to watch as Aenaire held her son and voiced a desperate prayer, which perhaps had been answered as in the end, Third Recon had succeeded in driving off the beast. In the aftermath, muttering that he hoped the Marines were having better atmospherics, Taylor radioed in for helicopters to conduct an emergency medical evacuation.

It could well be considered fortunate that those victims burned by the dragon's breathe did not linger before passing into death, but several who sustained injuries from toppling wagons and falls did survive due to the prompt medical care. In the end, some 119 refugees from Coda Village perished. It was all very sobering.

And yet, while the survivors mourned, they also expressed great gratitude, for all of them had truly expected to die, and yet most of them were alive. The majority of them sought shelter with relatives in neighboring towns and villages, and a few, mostly, the elderly or young without surviving kin and a few souls simply deciding that the company of these strangers in green was as much preferred as to any other strangers somewhere else. These refugees would become the first residents of the town of Alnus. But for now, by decree upon high, they were the responsibility of the officers and personnel of Third Recon Squad. On top of that, both Itami and Taylor had reports to file and if Major Hioaki had no desire to make any further inquiries into the antics of the two young officers, they both were called to give a direct report to Colonel Emerson, who made a promise that there would be a thorough review of radio procedures as he stared at them with impenetrable ice blue eyes. After which he congratulated the pair with a "Well done!" and dismissed them from his office.

What would have disturbed them all to know that they were not the only ones making reports and that; in fact, a copy of Itami's initial report had been leaked to members of the Diet and from there to sources in the media within scant hours.

But the repercussions of this were still yet to be felt as the other squads continued surveying the countryside and making contact with other villages and small towns in the area. A patrol of the Australian Special Air Service Regiment having a particularly eventful encounter with a sizeable force of armed Brigands who made the mistake of thinking they were hitting a trade caravan.

And while other units continued to patrol. Third Recon was now responsible for the housing, clothing, and feeding of the refugees from Coda Village and the Kowan settlement.

"Kurokawa and Kuribayashi: Go get some rations from the mess," Itami told them. "Tomita: You and Kurata go over to supply and requisition tents. Taylor, go and talk to the Construction Battalion about arranging more permanent lodgings. I'll get started on the paperwork." Itami said in resignation.

"Right. I'll meet with the engineers after I go down to the hospital and check on the villagers that were medevaced there." Taylor agreed. He wanted not only to check on the villagers but to get a doctor and nurse to give all the refugees full physicals. He also planned to drop by the Marine Mess and get rations there. After all, no need for them to be only exposed to Japanese food and culture. _That reminds me, I need to drop by the PX. I need to pick up a portable DVD player._

"Hey. Itami." A very immaculate JSDF 1st Lieutenant addressed Itami.

"Yanagida?" Itami acknowledged the other man.

"Come with me," Yanagida told Itami, casting a wary eye at Taylor for the briefest of moments. Taylor pretended not to notice.

"I'll see you after I've met with the Seabees, Itami." He turned and acknowledged Yanagida. "Lieutenant," Taylor nodded and headed for the base hospital.

It was shortly after nightfall that Taylor caught up with Itami. After briefing the JSDF officer on his discussion with the engineers, Taylor brought him up to speed on the medical cases. "Well, the doctors seem confident that every one of the villagers that we had airlifted in will make full recoveries. So that will bring our refugee population to what? Forty-Seven I think? So…? What did Yanagida want?"

Itami sighed. On the one hand, he had known his fellow JSDF officer considerably longer than he had the American and if Yanagida's pride could be touchy at times, he was unwaveringly loyal to his brother officers and of course to Japan. On the other hand, Taylor had proven himself out in the field. He had earned respect from the men and women of Third Recon Squad. He had earned trust. Well, it wasn't Itami's deal anyway. He just wanted to get his job done and go home someday, hopefully before the next Comiket.

"Yanagida says this world is an opportunity for Japan. The air is clean and resources untapped. He wonders if maybe…"

"If maybe somebody should take advantage of this opportunity? Does he really believe that crap?" Taylor shook his head.

Itami sighed, looking up at the sky as if searching for something. "I wonder if my Great Grandfather ever saw it coming?" He murmured.

"Hmm?" Taylor inquired.

"I'm hardly the first generation of my family to wear the uniform, you know. Just the first since the war. My great-grandfather served, just as did his father and his before him. I think, if they knew how it would all end, they would still have served. I only wonder if they could see where it went wrong? 'Eight corners of the World under one roof'." Itami shook his head.

Taylor paused thoughtfully. "It's an old, tired tale Itami. Japan wasn't the first country to play that game. 'Manifest Destiny' sounded like a pretty good idea to the pioneers. Just like it sounded like a good idea to someone to send an army through that Gate to attack Tokyo because it was there." Taylor said with a sour tone. He then fixed his gaze on a particularly bright star in the sky. It might have been a planet, or maybe it was a star he knew from Earth's sky. It was fascinating to ponder. Maybe someday he would learn what the locals called it.

"But, ask the Cherokee, the Choctaw, the Sioux, the Crow, and the Cheyenne about what 'Manifest Destiny' did for them. Ask Hawaii and if they ever miss the days when they were their own kingdom."

"Okinawa too." Itami agreed. "And the Philippines." He added with shame in his eyes. "Yanagida is wrong. This place isn't important for what it can do for Japan. It's important so we can prove we've learned not to do those things again."

Taylor nodded. "We're deciding the fate of a world that never asked us to." He closed his eyes. "When it's all over, what will we leave behind? Hopefully more than just a McDonald's on the corner and a Toyota dealer on Main street."

The two men looked squarely at each other, a silent agreement confirmed. "Well, the big calls will be made above our pay grades." Taylor said. "Tomorrow, we'll do what we can for forty-seven people who need our help. Good night Itami."

"Good night, Taylor."

* * *

In the morning, work started by having each of the refugees (Those that were able, those still recovering in the hospital would be interviewed later.) identify themselves for the record, giving their names and any details like place of origin or trade. Itami making notes for administrative purposes and Taylor making his own notes for the record he was compiling for cultural study and analysis.

Before they began, Itami had a quiet question for Taylor as he noticed The Oracle watching him with an unsettling look in her eyes.

"How did you recognize her back on the road?" Itami asked sotto voce.

Taylor chuckled but kept his own voice equally discreet. "When one of the Great Noble Ladies of the Empire gives you tips and advice on her native land, if you have any sense, you listen. As mother explained it to me, the local pantheon is similar in a behavioral sense to the classic Greco-Roman gods, with the exception being that the gods have been observed, if rarely, to directly intervene in matters in Falmart, The Apostles are ascended mortals who have been granted power by the gods to act on their behalf. Quite literally, Rory Mercury is the personal hatchet woman of the god of Darkness." Taylor smirked. "I was also told that usually, it's best if the gods don't notice you. Good luck with that."

As Itami dared to look back at Rory, he nodded nervously, not noting lesser points that Taylor had just mentioned, but Kuribayashi and Kurokawa had both caught one thing, in particular, they intended to ask their observer about later.

"Right…," Itami muttered then turned to his clipboard to begin registering their little group.

 _Altestan? Sounds Anglo-Saxon, like a variation on Aethelstan, one of the earliest English Kings._ Taylor noted. _Rory Mercury... At the least, the identity of the old Roman pantheon made it out here, if not the active worship._

They all noticed the hesitation of the girl Tuka. Aenaire placing a comforting hand on her shoulder. After the list was finished, Kurata held up the phrasebook for Itami as the Lieutenant announced to the refugees that they were going to begin work on permanent lodgings, As Itami worked his way through the translation, Taylor winced, knowing that Lucilla would have hit Itami with a brick at this point to end the suffering of her poor native tongue.

Kurata also seemed unsure as to whether continued language courses were helping Itami in the slightest but somehow the message did seem to get across and soon the Seabees were hard at work on the first homes, storage buildings and even the first businesses as both the Coda Village carpenter and blacksmith had thought that the prospect of reopening at Alnus a more interesting and possibly more profitable venture than relocating to villages that already had such craftsmen in residence. The refugees were also exposed to both Japanese and American cultures through food, stories, and music and conversely were invited to share their own culture with the men and women of Third Recon.

Lieutenant Taylor noted that the young apprentice mage, Lelei Laleena, seemed almost a sponge in her ability to soak up new language and customs, while Tuka Luna Marceau seemed to fixate on Lieutenant Itami and Rory Mercury seemed to have an intense interest in everything around her but with a special interest in Itami.

Soon, the new housing was complete. Included among the amenities provided to the refugees was a Japanese style public bath constructed JSDF engineers. This and the common dining hall became the two major social hubs of the community.

Aenaire found time to relax as her son and some of the other boys learned the basics of baseball from some of the off-duty personnel. With some time to herself, she joined Lelei, Rory and young Tuka in the bath.

Both Rory and Lelei marveled at the accommodations in such a remote place. Aenaire could not help but agree. It was very soothing.

"Itami said there would be a bath every day," Lelei noted.

"Itami? Ah! Of the JSDF." Rory recalled.

"Itami?" Tuka asked with sudden interest. "Is that the man that saved me?" She seemed embarrassed by the intensity of her own inquiry and clarified in a much more subdued voice, "Um, I was wondering if he was the one who saved me when I was lying unconscious in the village well."

"Yes," Lelei answered. "It should have been Itami's squad that saved you."

Aenaire smiled warmly. "They rescued my son and myself also but from what I understand, Itami practically vaulted in after you. I'm almost jealous Tuka!"

"Itami." Tuka blushed a bit as she savored the name.

"And I hear that the other one, what is his name? Taylor has taken rather a bit of interest in you, Aenaire." Rory teased.

"Oh! He has been very kind but it's nothing more than that." Aenaire dismissed. "Besides, my son is the only one I need in my life right now. Being a mother gives one different priorities after all. On the other hand, it would only be natural for Tuka to have an interest in Itami." Aenaire suggested, feeling that anything which would provide an anchor and new focus for the girl would be welcome.

"Ever since that day, I've been unable to repay those who helped me. I wonder if it's okay for me to be here." Tuka replied.

"It's fine," Rory told her. "Most of the people here just lost their families."

Tuka looked uncomfortable at this but it quickly passed.

"Anyway,"Rory observed to Lelei, "You've learned a lot of their language."

"I'm still studying but I'm starting to understand them a little."

"You mean the JSDF?" Tuka asked.

"Yes. They are warriors from a country called Japan. But Taylor is from a country called America, or at least I think or the United States, I'm not sure which. And they and other countries have warriors here and are together called the Pacific Alliance. And there are even more countries than that all beyond the Gate."

"Other countries?" Tuka wondered at the idea of so many different people out there.

"Sounds interesting!" Rory mused.

"There's a whole world we know nothing about beyond the Gate," Lelei noted in fascination.

"May it prove to be a kind and just world," Aenaire noted as she considered her son's future.

* * *

Princess Pina Co Lada walked out suppressing her frustration after her interview with King Duran of the Kingdom of the Elbe.

 _I could have handled that better._ Pina thought to herself. In threatening to destroy Duran's Kingdom over her offended sense of pride that Duran would not just suggest, but blatantly accuse her father of deliberately engineering the massacre of Allied troops, she let slip a bit of her father's notorious temper. Of course, Pina did not believe such a thing! But to take out her anger on a man who had clearly already been through an unimaginable ordeal was not the behavior worthy of a princess or a knight. What bothered her even more in the most secret and objective corners of her being was that she knew her father was quite capable of engineering such a thing if it suited his purposes. Deep inside, a small part of her wondered why her father had assigned her Order to scout the enemy. Many of her knights dearly wished to draw blood against the barbarians holding Sacred Alnus. Many of them had kin who had failed to return from the expedition to that other world and the thoughts of what had happened to them burned in the minds of many of her knights. Knights such as her dearest friends Bozes and Panache, whom both exclaimed a desire to prove the true cowardice of their enemies. Was her father truly capable of manipulating her pride and that of her knights into some reckless act?

No. Her father was merely challenging them to assure their mettle was up to the task at hand. That was all.

But she still had a course of action to decide. For weeks, Pina and her two most valuable advisers, Grey and Hamilton, and the stalwart Norma had been traveling the ways, stopping in any small village or hamlet to listen for any rumors or information of their enemy and their plans and movements. Currently, three of the companies of her order were encamped outside this little shire. Bozes commanded the Company of the Yellow Rose. Panache, the Company of the White Rose, and Vifita held command of the Company of the Red Rose in Pina's absence.

In planning the movements of her knights, Pina opted to take a gamble. Though the main column would have to travel west via the Appia way to make the best time and not outrun its supply wagons, Pina's own party would make use of small roads and head Southwest until they reached the Dessria way, where the rest of the order could catch up with them.

With the word from Princess Pina passed on from Sir Grey, the Rose Order got underway. For Panache Fure Kalgi, this mission was a very personal quest indeed. How she had tried to convince her little brother to join the Order, but their father, the current Baron Kalgi wanted his son to be part of a 'real' army and the news of the Grand Expedition had been enough for the Baron to call in old favors to get his 15-year-old son a commission under the command of Legate Germanicus. Unwittingly, their father had sent Panache's beloved brother Tiberius to his death. Panache wondered if she would ever forgive her father for that. She only knew for certain that blood called for blood and she planned to collect.

* * *

As Princess Pina's party rode away from the hospice, the old shepherd shook his head fondly and walked into Duran's room. "Her Highness seemed to be perturbed."

Duran sighed at the old shepherd who had smuggled him away from bloody Alnus to this place of sanctuary. "She has her father's pride, I fear."

"Perhaps," the shepherd allowed. "But I believe she has her mother's integrity."

"You would know, wouldn't you?" Duran chuckled.

"I pride myself on being a good judge of character." The shepherd said simply. "Do you think she would carry out her threat to destroy the Kingdom of the Elbe?"

"No," Duran answered. "She has a tender spot and I just hit her in that spot, very hard."

"It was necessary though. She can't be a good leader by ignoring painful truths. But while she may not be truly inclined to do you harm, I think you know there are others who would be most relieved by your death and if Princess Pina could find you…"

"Then so can others. But with Crown Prince Andar ignoring my direct messages, I fear even my own home Kingdom is not currently a healthy place to be. I seriously do not think it would be wise to go to Sadera either."

"Well then! If you cannot go home because of betrayal, and the homes of friends are also denied for that same reason, then there is but one choice!"

Duran's eyes went wide as he followed the shepherd's train of logic.

"Really, your highness, The enemy at Alnus only tried to kill you. At the very least, they have not betrayed you."

"To think we snuck away from that place and you intend we should simply sneak back! You are living proof that the gods are mad when insanity is the best plan!"

The shepherd smiled. "The gods didn't make the world crazy, you humans did that… With help from a few of the gods perhaps," he admitted.

Despite himself, Duran laughed.

* * *

 **To Be Continued...**


	16. Side Story pt 5: New Family

**New Family**

Major Sidney Freedman strode into the company clerk's office, where Corporal Klinger was busy checking over the quartermaster's sheet. The first trick in making trades was knowing exactly what you had to work with.

"Is Colonel Potter in, Corporal?" Freedman asked.

"Yes, sir. He's waiting for you now Major."

"Thank you, Corporal. By the way, what's with the rack of dresses back there?" Freedman jerked a finger behind them.

"Care package from my mom! She worries about me as I am her only son so she sent me the dresses my Great Uncle wore to get out of Korea!"

"He probably had better legs than you do, Corporal. You aren't planning on wearing those are you?"

"Hard to tell sir, seeing villagers come in here all torn up because a reject from a Godzilla movie decided to drop in really makes me not want to be here right now. On the other hand, with no disrespect to Uncle Akim's impeccable fashion sense, but around this place? Who'd even notice? Maybe if I ate a jeep or something?"

"You'll only give yourself disappointment and a bad case of indigestion," Sidney said as he pushed open the door to Colonel Potter's office. Colonel Potter, Lt. Colonel Henry Blake, and Captains Pierce and Hunnicutt were there waiting.

"Hello, Sidney." Captain Pierce greeted from his seat. How's business?"

"Too good. This whole country could use a giant roll of mental floss." He looked at Colonel Potter. "So you've got a special case for me?"

Potter nodded. "Her name is Parna, the stuffed shirts are referring to her as a 'Leporid'. All we know is that she was apparently hiding right under our noses and surviving on the camp scraps when Radar found her and since then, she stays as close to him as she can and gets into a panic if he's gone for too long. There's also the manner of a self-inflicted injury."

"I read the report on that," Freedman confirmed. "Well, this is new territory for me. Let's be clear here. Culturally, biologically, developmentally, we have no guarantee her responses or cues will be the same as yours or mine."

"Not like we have a choice if we're gonna help this girl," Potter replied.

"True enough. Well, I guess I should have a little chat with her. Where is she now?"

"I think she and Radar are over in the mess." Henry Blake said. "Should I send Klinger over to get her?"

"No. Better to do this in an environment where she feels most comfortable. I think I'll wander over to the mess for a cup of coffee." Freedman answered.

"Industrial strength, just like you like it, Sidney," Pierce told him.

"Why don't you boys go ahead and join him?" Potter suggested. "I'm afraid I've got a bit of paperwork to catch up on."

"Alright then Colonel," Henry replied. The four men walked over to the mess to find Radar and Parna sitting together with a laptop computer in front of them being used as a video player. As they approached, they could hear a familiar voice: Eh, what's up doc? Roman Legion convention or somethin'?

"Ah! The classics!" Hawkeye mused. "Plato, Tolstoy, Fritz Freleng."

Radar looked up at the officers. "Oh! Hello sirs! Parna and I just finished a language lesson so we're taking a little break."

"Language lessons?" Hawkeye remarked. "You teaching her or her teaching you?"

"Cut it out, sir!" Radar replied. He hated being teased like that, especially now, around her. He could see she was still watching the screen as Bugs Bunny tripped a squad of Roman soldiers. She grinned broadly and then paused the video.

"Radar?" She started with amusement and waited for him to look at her before continuing. She rather preferred to call him 'Walter' but that was his private name, not to be used with so many people around. "He looks like one of the People." Parna pointed to the screen. "But he is naked. I do not think he is one of the People." She said consideringly. "I think he is great trickster god!"

"Well but he's not…" Radar began to protest, certain that was not a good thing to encourage.

She smiled and put a finger to his lips. "You say it is your law that no one can tell others what to believe! This is a good law I think."

"Well yeah." Radar had to agree on that.

"Looks like you've been busy Corporal." Major Freedman noted in amusement.

"That's true," BJ noted. "You've already taught her more about our country than Major Burns will ever understand."

"Parna?" Henry Blake addressed her. "This is Doctor Freedman. He'd like to talk to you."

"Hello, Doctor Freedman," Parna said shyly.

"Hello, Parna. Parna? Do you know what a psychiatrist is?"

"No." She looked at him curiously.

"Well, while these doctors heal the body, my specialty is the mind. A mind can be in pain too Parna. That's why I'm here. Because these good people are concerned that you seem to have been through an awful lot and you may still be hurting from it in ways you don't even understand yourself."

"Am I hurt?" Parna asked feeling confused.

"That's what I want to find out. In order to do that I want to talk to you in private."

The Bunny girl looked apprehensively at Radar.

"Corporal O'Reilly can come if you want."

"Please Radar?" She asked in a quiet voice.

"Sure, I'll come."

"Alright then," Sidney told them. We can use the VIP quarters." He turned to the surgeons. "Excuse us, gentlemen."

"Sure thing Sidney." Henry Blake replied. "Parna, I'll tell Major Houlihan where you are." Major Houlihan had quickly taken on the role as mother figure and indeed reminded Parna a great deal of her Tribe mothers

"Thank you, Colonel Blake."

* * *

A couple of hours later, Radar escorted Parna back to her cot in Radar's office. Radar gently put a blanket on her and pulled the curtain partition that Klinger helped him put up, closed. This was actually Radar's cot but with her insistence on staying close to him, it was the best arrangement they could do. He had a folding cot resting against the wall but he did not think he would much want to sleep tonight having heard some of what Parna had been through.

In the meantime, Sidney went on into Colonel Potter's office to discuss his findings and recommendations with the senior staff. In this instance, Potter and Blake, Majors Winchester, Burns and Houlihan, and Captains Pierce and McIntyre.

"How bad is it?" Potter asked straight off.

"Pretty bad. Not the worst case I've seen but bad enough. First thing is she has to stay here. Sending her any place else may very well push her right over the edge."

"I hate to break it to you Sidney, but that sounds an awful lot like holding an AA meeting in a bar. We're not exactly brimming over with sanity ourselves." Pierce objected.

"On the contrary, for the most part, you people are probably some of the sanest people I've ever met. Eccentricity is not insanity. You people have the job of picking up the pieces from mankind's worst past time and you find a way to use insanity as a defense against the real madness that is all around us. Parna doesn't have that defense. She barely has a 'self' anymore, and if she has to leave, what's left of her may well unravel completely."

"Just what happened to her?" Henry Blake asked.

"War," Sidney told them. "Her people are used to war on the small scale anyway. One band goes out and does a little raiding. Another tribe retaliates. It's all geared to the survival of the tribe. And then they caught the attention of the Saderan Empire. The Empire gave them a war, unlike anything they knew. A war of total annihilation. Surrender as slaves or die."

"Don't get me wrong." Sidney continued. Sometimes one tribe would push another tribe over the edge but the survivors either became members of the winning tribe or were generally allowed to go settle elsewhere. This was different. The Empire made it clear they intended to break all the tribes for good. So they banded together. But they weren't prepared to deal with the way the Empire made war. The tribes raided villages but the Empire leveled them. It was total war and the Empire won."

"But for Parna, that was just the beginning. You see, her tribe's Queen united all the tribes to fight the Empire but when she saw the war was lost, it seems she bailed and surrendered herself."

"A regular Benedita Arnold," Trapper noted sourly.

"So naturally, the whole coalition came apart and her tribe was smeared with the dishonor. The Empire took their time getting around to finishing her tribe off so when they came, her people burned their own villages and became fugitives. They lost the war and their tribe but they still had their pride and self-worth." Freedman told them.

"So what happened?" Hawkeye asked.

"After three years of running and hiding, she broke," Sidney told them. "For one minute she was cold and hungry and miserable and just for a minute, the desire to have a warm bed and a full stomach was too much. All she had to do to get it was to give up one ear and everything she cared about she had left. Everyone she cared about and every last bit of self-respect she had."

"You can't tell me her friends wouldn't forgive her." Hawkeye objected. "They must have been under the same stress, right? And there must be hundreds at least who were taken as, slaves. It's not like she's alone on that account."

"Doesn't matter, Hawkeye. She made the choice. Even if the whole world forgave her, she has to forgive herself and she's not there yet."

"So what do we do?" Potter asked.

"Luckily, she found herself an anchor. Her connection to Corporal O'Reilly has allowed her to maintain the ability to forge new ties. But she needs to be built back up. She needs to feel like a useful individual who has value as a person."

"Give her a job and some responsibility?" Hawkeye considered.

"Wouldn't that just make her a servant? Replacing the old masters with new ones?" Houlihan worried.

"Not if she has a place as part of the family," Potter told her. "Under the MAVNI program, non-citizens can be recruited into the military if they possess skills deemed vital to the service. As I see it, most of our beds are full of people who don't speak the same lingo we do. That's a problem for both treatment and security. As it happens, I think we have one or two individuals not in the US military but who possess both the language and cultural skills we need and the desire for a fresh start." The Colonel noted the Avian girl named Koirre (pronounced choir) in their care, identified as being a 'Siren' as another possible candidate, considering the treatment given to her by human prisoners had gotten so severe that she had been removed to an isolated recovery room for her own safety.

"Begging your pardon, Colonel," Winchester truly did not wish to say anything but he felt there was no choice. "But the Military Accessions Vital to the National Interest program was suspended in 2014."

"Fortunately, the brass realized we would be needing help in those very areas of expertise and, provided we found appropriate willing applicants, MAVNI was unsuspended. So let's get Parna and Koirre in here and I'll administer the oath of enlistment. They'll be mustered in at a grade of Specialist 4 and will have rank, pay, and privileges as such."

"I hate to say it, but for once, here's to enlisting in the Army!" Trapper noted.

"I can't believe you said that," Hawkeye smirked.

"You can't believe it? I can't believe I said that!"

"Margaret?" Potter continued. "You'll be in charge of training them in military customs and etiquette."

"Yes, sir!"

"Major Burns? Any objections? Keep 'em to yourself." Potter looked up. "Any other suggestions, Sidney?"

"That sounds like a promising start. I'll drop in every once in awhile to see how things are going."

"Thanks again, Sidney."

"Don't mention it. Poker game still on for tonight?"

"Seven O'clock." Hawkeye confirmed, "And if you have any extra aces up your sleeve? Be imaginative and don't make them all spades."

* * *

 **To Be Continued.**


	17. Chapter 12: Italica

**Chapter 12: Italica**

 **Recon Squad Three: Gibraltar**

"So we're a delivery service now?" Kurata groused as Rory tossed in two heavy sacks of dragon scales. The girls said that the scales would fetch a considerable price from the wealthy merchant houses and that would allow the refugees a degree of self-sufficiency. Third Recon, on Lieutenant Itami's discretion, would transport them to the trade city of Italica, where Rory, Lelei, and Tuka would negotiate a deal.

"You'd rather sit around here and do scut work?" Taylor asked him. "Besides, you're the one who wants to go meet Catgirls and Sorceresses and stuff. To do that, you gotta get out there. You aren't going to find them waiting for you here."

"You really think we'll find a Catgirl, Lieutenant?" Kurata asked with enthusiasm.

 _Me and my big mouth,_ Taylor groaned to himself.

"Maybe," Itami replied noncommittally as he leaned back in his seat. "Anyway, it's good for the refugees to provide for themselves. Also, this will be a good chance for us to see how trade works out here." He fiddled with his cellphone. "Another update!" He exclaimed happily as he got a new notification on a web novel he had been following.

"He's hopeless," Kurata muttered.

Taylor rolled his eyes. _If that's not the pot calling the kettle black_. He looked behind himself to see Tuka getting onboard after a moment's hesitation, followed by Kurokawa, and Sergeant Major Kuwahara.

"Alright. Let's go!" Itami called out over his mic. With that, the little convoy set off for Italica.

Soon, everyone settled in. Kurata chuckling as Kuwahara showed Lelei his compass, sounding like a teacher with a favored pupil rather than the 'Drill Sergeant from Hell' that was his reputation among the junior enlisted men. Rory was enjoying teasing Tuka just a bit in a playful manner.

Taylor enjoyed himself by reading one of his old Sci-Fi novels. He liked the Honorverse series but had to admit the earlier books were better than the later ones. His reading was cut short by a report from Kurata.

"There's smoke ahead to our right." The driver reported. Taylor turned down the corner of the page and closed the book, then turned to get a look. _Not again._ He thought darkly, recalling the last time they had seen smoke.

"Kurata, does this road take us by the source of that smoke?" Itami asked.

"Actually it takes us right to it," Kurata answered.

"This is the second time we've seen smoke rising into the sky," Itami noted, reflecting Taylor's thoughts. After a brief discussion, Itami decided to proceed but keeping a watchful eye on the skies and on their perimeter. Disconcertingly, Rory seemed to have a look of anticipation in her expression. Itami asked her what she sensed.

"I smell blood!" Rory answered, licking her lips.

 _Yes,_ Taylor thought. _It was going to be one of those days._

* * *

 **Outside the Walls of Italica**

A _lmost! They had almost broken through_ , The bandit leader told himself. Not too long ago, he had been a mid-ranking officer in a real army, a Captain in the army of Toumaren just as many of his men had been soldiers in that army. That had changed with the Allied Nations assaults on Alnus. These men did not understand what had gone wrong at Alnus. They only knew the men who preceded them had not returned and nor had their noble lords. They had not received either the Glory nor the pay they had been promised.

This left them with two options: Return home in humiliation with nothing to show for it or to take up banditry. The weak had long gone home. And then an opportunity was presented: A high ranking Saderan official had arranged to meet a few leaders such as himself with an offer: Destroy the city of Italica. Aside from the considerable plunder in the city, this would be patron had brought several chests filled with gold that would be delivered once the city was destroyed. Though their prospective patron refused to discuss names, Boras, son of Jerrod, recognized Senator Godasen by his trappings, if not by his name. It was immaterial though. Boras and his men would have their glory and gold besides.

And they were now very close to their goal now. They had nearly broken through the South Gate today after hitting it for two days. The defense had been spirited and they had taken heavy losses but the prize was in their grasp now. He still had over seven hundred men of the approximately twelve hundred they had fielded at the start and still stronger than the five hundred men he had led as Captain of the Second Company of the Toumaren Heavy Foot. It helped that the past two days fighting had removed any serious rivals to his leadership. He had been willing to let the others 'have the honor' of leading the assaults while he and the men most loyal to him, many of whom he had known in their home county practically since boyhood, waited for their moment.

And now Boras sensed an opportunity. He had served during the siege of Turicum and his experience in that battle was playing in his mind. While the defense of Italica had been spirited, the enemy commander had not attempted to take control of the battle. He had responded effectively, if unimaginatively to threats as they developed but had not attempted to exert his own will on the battle. Boras sensed he was fighting a commander with little if any actual practical experience. They were well trained obviously, but as yet, lacked the seasoning required to go beyond responding to threats to taking control of the battle.

Looking at the defenders' position, the enemy commander had to expect that he would continue to batter away at what now was clearly the weak point in the city's defenses at the South Gate. The defender could not leave it exposed, but at the same time, the outer line would crack for certain with one more solid push. The defenders had to see that as plainly as he did. That left a containment defense as the logical option but it would take a sizeable commitment of men. Instead, Boras would hit them at the east gate. Not only would the defending troops be spread thinner here as they covered the south gate, but a good commander would try to take his most tired troops and position them away from the expected axis of threat if possible. If all went as planned, his men would hit the defenders by surprise in a spot where their men were both too few and too worn down to stop them.

He also had Myuute as an edge to play. The Siren might not have liked her current company, but she knew who owned her chain and would apply her talents as he so directed. All in all Boras was very much looking forward to finishing this battle tonight but for now, it was time to rest up and prepare for the night's deadly business.

* * *

 **3rd Recon Squad**

As the vehicles of Third Recon approached the battered south gate of Italica, a strong voice issued challenge from the battlements.

"They want us to approach and be seen." Lelei translated.

"Taylor," Itami decided. "You and I should accompany the girls to the gate. Everyone else will wait for now." The two officers and three native women walked calmly up to the gate and Itami firmly but politely knocked. After a moment's pause, the door swung wide open and smacked Itami right in the face, stunning him and knocking him flat as a distinguishedly dressed young woman greeted an enthusiastic welcome, only to come face to face with three shocked young ladies and a sprawled out JSDF Lieutenant.

Standing to one side, Taylor winced. "That had to hurt." He could hear the Sergeant Major calling Itami, no doubt having seen the lieutenant go down. Taylor keyed his own mic: "We're alright. Itami just found out that the front door swings out instead of in. He's fine. Everything is still nominal. Over."

 _"Roger that."_

In moments, their over-exuberant greeter was being liberally berated by Tuka as she splashed Itami with water from his canteen. As Rory decided to give further encouragement to Itami, Taylor noted that the young woman who had opened the gate was twitching on the brink of panic, much like a young officer who knew he had screwed up in front of a visiting Admiral and was dreading the repercussions that he expected to follow.

As Rory grinned down into Itami's face, he bolted upright, "Are we inside the gate?"

Taylor simply nodded.

"So who is going to explain what is going on?" Itami asked with a sigh as the mass of citizenry all stared at the young noblewoman.

"Me?!" She exclaimed aghast, hoping someone else could take this possible disaster off her hands. To her relief and just a little embarrassment, her loyal aide Hamilton now spoke with a ring of authority.

"Impudent fools!" She declared in defense of her liege,"This is an affront to The Third Imperial Princess! Pina Co Lada!" The girl announced in clearly recognizable Imperial English.

 _Shit!_ Taylor swore to himself as he recognized the name of the Imperial Princess. Apparently, Lucilla had been considering joining the Knightly Order the Princess had formed and commanded but following her mother's wishes, had promised to wait until she was at least 16 before placing her name for consideration. This lovely little mess was starting to take on serious implications. _Dammit, Jim! I'm a historian, not a diplomat!_

Itami and the girls gasped in surprise as a confounded Princess Pina bade them all to follow as she attempted to explain the situation.

Taylor made a mental note to see if perchance, the Count of Formar had been among the survivors of the Ginza Invasion. The odds were not promising but he could at least check. This he promised as he looked upon Myui, the lonely child who now sat as Countess Formar. He turned his attention back to the Princess.

"We need to hold out for three more days before my knights can arrive to relieve the city," she told them. "But few of the men here are trained soldiers. They have courage, but courage alone will not be enough, I fear. But perhaps the gods will that Italica might yet be spared." She looked carefully at them. "Particularly if you are the 'Men in Green' that the rumors tell of?"

"And what do these rumors say, your Highness?" Taylor asked curious.

"That you drove off an ancient flame dragon?"

"Not soon enough," Itami replied. "People still died." He said with regret.

"Will you help us?" Pina said at last.

Itami considered it but for a moment, glancing over at Taylor, who nodded only slightly and reaffirming the decision he had already made.

"Yes," Itami told her. "After all, we can't exactly sell these dragon scales with all this going on."

"Very well." Pina decided. "We will have you defend the south gate."

As Itami started to nod his agreement, Taylor raised a finger in point. "If I may," he looked between Itami and Pina, who both paused with interest. "Itami, our communications are a lot better than theirs. Someone should stay with the command node as a relay if needed."

Itami considered this. While he did not want to spread his people too thin, Taylor's suggestion did make sense. Furthermore, Taylor was not a trained infantry soldier.

"Right. You should stay with her Highness." Itami agreed. He toggled his mic. "Kuwahara, we've run into a situation. I'll explain when I see you. You're cleared to enter the South Gate, Wait there for me."

 _"_ _Roger."_

A few minutes later, Taylor was able to inform Princess Pina that the rest of Third Recon had deployed along the south gate. He noted that Pina and Hamilton both eyed him with a mix of curiosity and suspicion. The Knight, Grey, on the other hand, seemed more bemused than anything else.

"So the Man in Green would face this battle unarmed? Do not worry, the noble Hamilton will undoubtedly protect you." Grey teased them both.

Taylor raised an eyebrow as Hamilton flustered.

"Good to know." Taylor nodded calmly. At least he hoped he looked calm. In truth, he was holding butterflies in his belly. Uncomfortably he felt Hamilton and Princess Pina eyeing him.

"You've never been in a battle before," Pina observed, recognizing the forced calm that was a match for her own.

"No. I'm not like Itami and the others. This isn't the sort of war I trained to fight. But for better or worse, here I am. I have a job to do "

"As do I," Pina answered.

"We both have a duty to protect people who can't fight back," Taylor replied. "I think when this day is over, that might be worth talking about."

Pina almost seemed to smile. "Perhaps."

* * *

 **Gibraltar**

"You can't make it back today?" Major Hioaki questioned incredulously. "What do you mean, Itami?" This was unbelievable! Hioaki was not reassured by Itami's response:

 _"_ _Well, uh, we've kind of gotten caught up in a battle."_

 _No! This was not happening! He was not going to be held responsible for whatever mess Itami had managed to get himself entangled in. Hioaki was not going to be the one to incur the displeasure of the Diet, the Defense Ministry, or higher command simply because Itami had to blunder into something rather than getting his worthless ass back so he could answer the direct summons of the Diet!_

"Why aren't you more concerned about this?" The Major demanded to know. Surely at least some of the importance of his situation must be clear to even that daft fool of a Lieutenant. "What about the Diet summons?"

 _"_ _Oh yeah, that's right!"_ Itami sounded as if he had managed to forget something that important! It was unbelievable and calculated to come down right on Hioaki's head.

 _"So, I have a request…"_

* * *

 **Office of Commander, Task Force Janus**

General Hazama calmly listened to the somewhat rattled report from the major, including Lieutenant Itami's request. Much to Hioaki's extreme distress, Colonel Emerson chuckled.

"General, I gotta say, Itami and Taylor are going to do impressive things in this war. Provided they don't get themselves killed first."

"I think you are quite correct colonel. This is our first direct contact with a representative of the Saderan Empire that did not immediately result in hostilities. If we are going to secure any advantage of this opportunity, I think we must grant Lieutenant Itami's request for support."

Colonel Lowe frowned as he fingered Italica on the map. "It will be dark before we can get reinforcements up there and I wouldn't advise a nighttime insertion. IFF will be next to impossible for the locals. Rather than relief, we could accidentally cause a panic. That said, we should plan to relieve the city by air around dawn."

Colonel Kengun nodded agreement. "We request the honor of the assignment General!" Kengun's xo nodded agreement.

"We have Hi-Fidelity speakers mounted and Wagner on CD."

Colonel Emerson fought the urge to roll his eyes at this, though knowing his own men would undoubtedly have a more jarring selection in music.

General Hazama, despite some minor misgivings, made the decision to assign the mission to Colonel Kengun, however, Hazama also elected to send a contingent of Marines in support in case it became necessary to engage in the sort of urban warfare which his Japanese troops had no practical experience in. As much as it might ruffle the pride of some of his people, Hazama was fully aware of the practical limitations of the JSDF in terms of training and institutional experience. This mixed force would arrive at dawn local time. Third Recon and the defenders of Italica only had to hold until then.

* * *

 **Italica**

"When are they coming?" Pina murmured to herself. She had made the best plans she knew how and now she could only await the outcome. Taylor followed her gaze to the darkened south gate where Itami and the others were waiting. Her plan was simple, perhaps ruthless, but It made logical sense, offering up a seemingly weak force as bait to trap and destroy the enemy with the least risk to the outmatched locals.

In the waiting darkness, a volley of flaming arrows was the first warning as the bandits made their move on the east gate. As their leader had expected, the vast majority of the defenders were caught completely off guard as Sir Norma sent word back to Princess Pina and hurried to rally the defenders, hoping they could hold the wall long enough to pull men from the west gate and the reserves assembled for the secondary line at the south gate.

Upon receiving word of the attack on the east gate, Princess Pina realized quickly how dangerous the situation was as she sampled the bitter taste of assumptions gone wrong. Despite Sir Norma's efforts and with their arrows nullified by the wind magic of Myuute, the defenders at the east gate were simply too few and too worn down to resist this new assault. Norma and the few survivors desperately trying to hold the upper part of the wall even as bandits swarmed over.

"It fell so easily," Pina said in a hushed voice. "I had no idea that reality could be so different from one's plans."

"The other guy has plans too," Taylor reminded her. "You're the one who has to turn this around." He faced her squarely. "Forget those plans! That's yesterday! What do you do now? That's what counts!"

Quickly the bandits managed to open the east gate, letting scores more of their number to flood in as the first line collapsed completely. And here, the lack of trained soldiers among the defenders proved disastrous as the bandits were able to goad the more spirited of the defenders to compromise their own lines even as Pina desperately bade for them to hold fast. The untrained and ill-equipped defenders charging into the reach of experienced and battle-hardened enemies who proceeded to cut them down as surely as the Pacific Allies had shattered the armies at Alnus.

Pina watched in horror. "Why is this happening?" She asked softly as if trapped in a dream. Down below, the townspeople called for reinforcements.

"Where are the men in green?"

She had been so certain of her plan at the time. It made perfect sense to offer up the men in green as a decoy. To draw the action unto them but now she knew for her temerity and treachery that the men in green would leave her to reap the consequences. "Even if I called for them, they wouldn't come. Not after I sent them on a suicide mission to the south gate."

Taylor frowned. _She's freezing up. Damn it! Taylor! You're an officer! Act like one_. He toggled his radio. "Itami! The Princess urgently requests all possible reinforcement to the east gate! Step on it Itami!"

Pina turned her head in surprise as Itami answered.

 _"_ _Roger! We'll leave the half-ton and four men here. We'll be there as fast as we can!"  
_

Taylor smirked. "Your message has been received, Princess. What are your orders?"

* * *

 **TO BE CONTINUED**


	18. Chapter 13: What Happens In Italica

A/N: Several readers have expressed a certain dismay at the recent canon heavy chapters of this story. The changes here may seem small but trust me that we are moving away from such canon laden material. Also, posting immediately after this, we will have an interlude which has nothing to do with canon material.

That said, here goes!

 **Chapter 13: What Happens in Italica...**

 **Appia Way (Several Hours Earlier)**

Upon receipt of Princess Pina's dispatch from Italica, her senior commanders met in a hastily assembled council of war. Bozes looked grimly at her companions as she pointed to the fortress city on the map.

"Three days! It will take three days for the Order to reach Italica!"

"By then it could be too late!" Panache objected.

"Yes. Even forcing the march, it will still take two days and the foot will be worn out." Bozes reasoned, referring to the infantry. "What we will do is this: Vifita, you will take command of the main force. Move them along as fast as you can, ready to fight. Panache, you and I will take our best riders and horses and hurry on to Italica!"

Vifita acknowledged her instructions unhappily, although she understood their sense. She still would have preferred to be part of the advanced party but someone had to remain in command here. She looked at her two friends. "I'll see you at Italica then."

"At Italica," Bozes promised.

* * *

 **East Gate, Italica**

Sir Norma knew it was coming apart around him. It had all happened with stunning speed but now he and a handful of militia were desperately trying to hold at least part of the upper wall, lest the bandits take it and get archers in a position to fire down into the second line of defense. As more bandits came over the wall and through the open gate, Norma felt like he would be washed away in a tidal wave of hostile forces. But he was a knight and upon his sacred honor, would never yield in the face of such filth as these brigands. The common townsmen who had already given their lives had proven their courage and worth as men far beyond their killers and Norma would honor their sacrifice either with victory or his own mortal blood.

"Defend this area with your lives!" Norma told the surviving militia who remained at his side, even as still more bandits fell upon them. Norma slashed out at one, then another. He was the better fighter but there was nothing he could do as he sensed the third bandit behind him and knew he was dead, a heavy blow stunning him and sending him falling to the ground some thirty feet below.

"The enemy commander is slain!" Boras cried in triumph to his men as the body of Sir Norma fell from atop the wall, Boras raised his sword aloft to his men. The battle was all but won, only necessary now to spur his men on to its end.

"Listen up men! Now, _this_ is war!" It was a statement whose ironic truth he would never understand as suddenly, he felt a hot, burning pain and looked down to see three small holes in the front of his armor. His last thought in this world being an odd curiosity about what had just happened before he fell, his body falling next to that of the knight he had just killed. With his death, also perished the dark and ugly secret truth that had brought these men to Italica.

With the sudden, death of Boras, the bandit army hesitated as its leader fell as if struck from the heavens. Still, they were so close. Surely victory was in their grasp if they just pushed ahead and took hold of it!

"Hold firm!" Boras' second in command ordered. "Press on!" He shouted as bandits continued to storm over the wall as well as through the east gate. For these men, the death of their leader had given them pause but the fact that the manner of his death was so incomprehensible it assured that convinced their victory was still in hand, the bandits would only be paused for a moment.

For Myuute, it was as if the ancient gods had deemed her personally worthy of a favor. Not that she really expected the bandit army to lose but Myuute began to conceive that it could happen. If so, then she did not want to stand out as part of that army. Of course, it was still probable the bandits would win. In that case, desertion would be a fatal mistake, but now inside the city walls, she planned to find an out of the way spot and see if the gods truly did hold her in their favor.

In any event, the bandits now redoubled their efforts to secure their prize before any more inexplicable things happened.

Possibly the single person most aided by the momentary hesitation of the bandit army was by far the most important one. Princess Pina had found herself stunned as her plans unraveled before her, culminating in the death of Norma. She had lost any control over this battle. Yet in a few moments, things had changed yet again. In the moment of the bandits' hesitation, Pina shook herself free from the quicksand.

"The men in green are coming! Hold fast!" Pina shouted to the citizens of Italica.

Grey surveyed the situation quickly. "We need to clear the east wall. Then we can contain the breach."

Pina nodded and hoped there were still enough people to do the job. "Archers to me! Archers to me! Grey! Find whatever men you can and retake the wall! We'll pocket them inside the gate!"

"At once!" Grey smiled, glad to see his princess regain her confidence.

Taylor, meantime wished his Carbine had a full auto mode so he could sweep the wall with it but the model M4 he carried only had options for semi-automatic and three round burst modes. In any event this was probably just as well, Taylor figured as if he went full auto, he would burn through his magazines at a dangerous rate and it was useless as a suppression measure since the enemy did not have enough understanding of his weapon or any sort of firearms to know to duck when bullets started flying. So he had to calm himself, pick targets of value at opportunity, control his breathing and focus. Or in the words of Wyatt Earp: 'Take your time and be quick about it!'. He hoped the others would get here soon.

* * *

 **Enroute From the South Gate**

"She runs fast!" Kurata commented as he maneuvered the truck, trying to keep up with the Apostle of Emroy.

"Just don't lose her," Itami ordered.

"Yes, sir!" Kurata affirmed

Rory raced as fast as she could to battle, her blood burning and demanding release. It was as she told Itami: Life and death were intimately bound. To have a death with meaning required a life with meaning and an appreciation of life required an appreciation of mortality. While she occasionally fibbed and told people that she literally could not die, part of the exhilaration of battle was the danger. Claiming the lives of those who did not respect life gave her purpose, while the danger gave a euphoria to being alive. This was something that she very much feared losing when she ascended, therefore she reveled in the moment.

Behind her, she knew Itami and his people were following. These men in green were a curious lot. They were interesting and thought in new and interesting ways. Helping them would be fun. Just ahead was the east gate. Now the fun could begin!

At least Rory saw it that way. To the brigands, the amused laughter of the apostle was the end of their happy little war. They had thought to bring war upon a peaceful people. They believed that to offer up the blood of those who could not fight back would ensure the favor of the Dark God Emroy but to the Apostle of Emroy, these men were fools. Had they either the wit or heart to understand courage or valor, then perhaps she could have felt something other than disdain for them. But they held no mercy, nor honor and she was their reward

Those in the best position to observe her movements did not live to share their insights into the fluidity of her motion. It was a ballet of death and every move perfectly timed and executed, a master demonstrating her art as amateurs tried to find a solution to the problem she posed, Soon Kuribayashi rushed in, as much drawn to battle as Rory, the two complementing each other's moves and Rory smiling, regarding Shino as a disciple, a hand-chosen agent of death. This continued with Itami and Tomita covering their backs while Master Sergeant Nishina, Kurata and privates Tozu, Sasagawa, and Katsumoto joined Lieutenant Taylor and the surviving archers Princess Pina had summoned in keeping fire on the east wall as the brigands desperately tried to work around Rory and Shino who continued to cut down the bandits storming through the east gate like wheat at harvest. But avoiding Rory the Reaper only meant that those coming over the wall had to contend with Sir Grey and those volunteers he had gathered, and now they had a clear advantage in cover fire with Taylor's carbine and with Myuute no longer acting to disperse the arrows from the surviving Italican archers

This dance of death continued until the rays of dawn arose and Rory paused, now like a conductor with a single gesture summoning an unimaginable tornado of devastation upon the bandits outside the city walls as Colonel Kengun's helicopters and those of the Marines arrived and began their attack. Some men tried to fight, many tried to run, rushing desperately to get inside the safety of Italica's walls. Some froze in place, covering themselves in terror and some laughed, having been driven insane by what was happening around them.

Then the order was given to clear the target area inside the gate. Not that there were that many, this was merely to be the final note in a symphony of death, As the strange men in green carried away the Priestess of Emroy and ran from the giant iron dragonfly, a few of the bandits sensed what it portended in the general if not in specifics and dropped their weapons and raced toward the inner defense line. Most were too confused or stunned as the helicopter's 20mm Gatling cannon opened fire. Active resistance ceased at this point as JSDF and Marine troops started landing and began mop-up operations.

Taylor saw that Hamilton and Princess Pina had been just as stunned as the bandits had been.

"A monster." Hamilton breathed staring at the helicopter.

Pina looked at Taylor. "An Iron Pegasus? What is this? A violence that destroys everything and power that crushes everything. What is this thing?"

Taylor shook himself, looking away at the carnage which made him ill inside. "This is war. It's not fun and it's not pretty and we're very good at it." He sank to his knees exhausted and emotionally spent. "But it's over. Thank God it's over."

Down below, he heard one of the townspeople thank one of the soldiers.

 _"You saved our town. Thank you! Whose army are you?"_

 _"We're with the Pacific Allied Forces."_

Pina felt a chill as she faced one of the hovering 'Iron Pegasi.' Whether it was appropriate or not, Taylor draped his jacket over her shoulders, She had seen enough and given a choice between a small kindness and nothing, Taylor opted for a kindness. Perhaps even more than Pina needed it, he needed it, if for no other reason than to affirm his own humanity.

"If you will excuse me, Your Highness? I should probably go report in."

"Of course," Pina gave a small smile and offered the jacket back. "Thank you. But I'm all right now." She told him. She appreciated the gesture but she needed to be an Imperial Princess right now, a being of iron, not of mortal fibers. Especially as she realized the terrifying truth: That these men in green were the enemy. These were the men that had decimated the Imperial Army and who held sacred Alnus Hill.

Strange that such noble and kind men could be the enemy. But they were and she, The Imperial Princess, had invited them into one of the most important cities of the Empire. If they chose to, they could take the city with open arms. It only remained to be seen how high a price the men in green would demand for their services.

With Lelei's assistance, Itami and Taylor handled the minor negotiations concerning the establishment of the 'Alnus Trading Cooperative' and matters concerning the aftermath of the battle. While accepting the claims on prisoners as put forth by Hamilton as the negotiator for Princess Pina and Countess Myui, Itami specifically requested that he be allowed to select a number of prisoners for 'interrogation'. Taylor was not surprised to see Itami exclusively select female prisoners, obviously fearing that though they were not apparently willing volunteers of the bandit army, they might still be subjected to 'reprisals' from the native populace.

Itami also insisted on an assurance that the remaining prisoners would be treated humanely. The notion that people who had tried to kill and pillage the city should be given any consideration went down hard for Hamilton but she recognized she had no leverage in the negotiations to refuse. Taylor resisting the temptation to compare the attack on Italica with the attempted invasion of Tokyo. That might not only be provocatory but open up matters that were not appropriate to discuss at this point. They did negotiate for the possible establishment of a diplomatic mission. But beyond that were topics for another day as they took their leave of Princess Pina and the girls returned to their mission of selling the dragon scales they had collected. Taylor making a note to inquire into the disposition of the corpses of the dragons killed in the attack on Ginza but while in Italica, he too had business to attend as he waited for the girls to finish their negotiations with the merchant Lyudo before sitting down with him to discuss other business.

It was interesting to note that Lyudo and his surroundings made Taylor think of Renaissance Florence. Lyudo was obviously doing quite well for himself, judging from the art on the wall and the furnishings of his office. There was a good chance that if he did not know the people Taylor was looking for, he certainly knew people who knew.

As the girls left, Rory eyed him curiously, Taylor merely shrugged. "I'll be along in a little while." He sat down and set a gold cinque piece on the table

"I need to speak to merchants who specialize in a very specific commodity." He told Lyudo.

"I'm sure that we can provide whatever goods you are looking for," Lyudo replied confidently.

 _I hope not, for your sake._ Taylor thought. "Slaves."

"Oh no! I'm afraid that is one commodity we don't trade in here. The previous Count of Formar had very strong opinions on the subject."

"Good. But I'm certain you know people who do deal in slaves. I want to know who those people are and where they are and I'll pay top price to get that information. I would also suggest that if you have friends or family in the trade, you encourage them to get out of the business."

Lyudo considered it. Slaves were a vulgar commodity in Lyudo's view and if he could make a profit selling the names, then this information was simply another commodity. And Lyudo only sold top quality merchandise.

"I think we can supply you with what you need, sir."

About an hour later Taylor carefully folded the list and slipped it into his jacket. He was certain that the men on this list would be getting visitors soon. He took his leave of Lyudo and headed to the south gate, where the rest of the team was waiting. It had cost him a fair amount of his 'allowance' but if it was accurate, would be well worth the price.

"Sorry, just had to take care of one last thing." He told Itami.

Itami tiredly waved it off. "As long as we're ready now."

"As far as I know," Taylor replied. After he got in the truck, Taylor secured the list in his note binder for safe keeping.

The girls were all nearly wiped out from the long last 24 hours or so. They all were. Up front, Itami was dozing contented. Taylor jotted notes on his observations on Princess Pina, Hamilton, Formar, and Lyudo. What he really wanted was to study history as written by the locals but that would have to wait, quite probably until after the war. Lady Octavia had been more concerned with him understanding the Empire as it currently existed rather than discussing history and that was sensible but it left him wanting to know more. Feeling just as tired as anyone else, he stowed his notebook and put his head back and closed his eyes…

Only to be jarred fully awake by Kurata suddenly hitting the brakes. Helping poor Lelei up off the floor, he then turned his attention up front.

"Smoke up ahead!" Kurata reported.

"More smoke?" Itami asked as Taylor leaned forward. "It's coming this way?" Itami wondered, confused.

"That's not smoke, that's dust!" Taylor corrected. "Somebody's in a real hurry." _They must have seen us by now. Wonder what they're thinking..._

* * *

"They're moving fast for ordinary carriages," Panache noted calling to Bozes.

"Yes. And they are heading on a direct line out of Italica. I want them stopped!"

"This could be part of that other world army." Panache agreed.

Bozes nodded. "Possibly. If they are, that's all the more reason we need to make sure they don't escape. Millet!" She called to one of the other knights."I want six of you to block the road behind those carriages! The rest of us will cut them off. If they try to leave the road, we'll have the advantage!"

"Yes, ma'am!" The eager brunette haired knight replied and waved for the knights behind her to follow and break from the main group.

* * *

"I can't get a good look," Itami complained as he tried to get a view through his field glasses.

"I see something!" Kurata announced, bringing up his own binoculars.

"What is it?" Itami asked.

"A Tiara!" Kurata answered.

"Oh, a tiara. Okay." Itami responded confused. "A Tiara?!"

"Blonde hair in ringlets!" Kurata continued. Itami hanging off each word as he brought his own glasses back up.

"I've sighted one blonde girl with Ringlets, one beautiful girl in boys' clothes, and several hot girls behind them!"

"What are they doing, Sergeant?" Taylor demanded. Was this a contact report or the fashion parade?.

"Those are Roses!" Itami announced looking at the standard held aloft.

"Crap!" Taylor realized. "And Princess Pina's knights are here." He said while Itami and Kurata babbled about ringlets and who was what flower. _If the enemy doesn't kill us, I may strangle those two myself! Let's hope this can be handled peacefully._

 _"_ _All units alert status."_ The voice of Sergeant Major Kuwahara called over the radio.

"Hold up, old man. No overt shows of hostility. It could violate the treaty." Itami cautioned in reply as the seven riders approached their little convoy.

 _Good call._ Taylor agreed. _Gunning down a bunch of Princess Pina's personal retainers and friends really wouldn't do much to help the peace. Why did we not specifically get a copy of the agreement or at least a writ of safe passage with Pina's signature and seal? I know we were all tired but that was stupid. Oh right. We sent our copy of the treaty back with Colonel Kengun! Genius move that!_

 _"_ _Roger."_

 _"This is Private Higashi. We've got riders behind us!"_

"So the road is cut behind us," Taylor noted sourly.

Currently, Panache, or the 'White Rose' as Itami identified her, approached the half ton and addressed Sergeant Major Kuwahara with a tone of authority.

"Where did you come from?"

"We're returning home from Italica," he replied.

"Going to where?" She pressed.

"Alnus..." The Sergeant began to answer as Taylor nearly facepalmed, less than surprised as the woman drew her sword and lances were now lowered in their direction.

 _Unbelievable! Good going! Taylor thought. You could have said 'Nagoya' or 'Sendai', or 'Cleveland' for crying out loud! But you had to tell them we were going to Alnus! Can this get any worse?_

"The hill of Alnus?" She repeated in wrath.

It was clear, _one_ side was paying attention today, Taylor thought. _And they're not happy, surprise, surprise._

"Old man! Don't let any of our guys fire." Itami instructed over the radio and then turned to Taylor. "Maybe I can calm things down." He said and reached for the door handle.

"Hold on. Maybe they'll listen to talk but I wouldn't count on it. I've got a plan."

"A good one?" Itami asked.

"Good as in 'will it get our people out of here without starting a battle'? Yes. Good as in I like it? Not at all. But if we run, they'll chase us. Unless we toss them some bait."

"I hate this plan," Itami muttered as he got out a minute or so later.

"I hate this plan too and it's my plan." Taylor agreed as he got out the back

In the meantime, Bozes had dismounted and grabbed onto Kuwahara's shirt.

"Are you the enemy from another world?" She demanded.

 _It's all a matter of perspective,_ Taylor thought as Itami addressed the 'Yellow Rose'.

"Excuse me, Has my man done something to offend you?" Itami asked politely. The intent of his tone was apparently lost on the knights he was addressing as Panache lowered her sword at him.

"Surender!" She demanded quite firmly.

 _Well, she's clearly established who is in control here._ Taylor frowned, noting one of the other knights shifting her mount to watch him carefully.

"Now calm down," Itami answered carefully. "I'm sure we can work this out."

Bozes rewarding him for his careful tone by slapping him hard across the face. "SIlence!"

Taylor could hear Kuwahara ordering the others to hold their fire. He glanced over at Itami as Itami ordered everyone else to pull out. Miss Yellow Rose snagging him by the back of his collar as the trucks pulled out. Taylor and Itami watched them go as each man found a sword pointed directly at his neck. _Itami, this may have been my plan, but I still blame you! You and Kurata!_ As he glanced over at Itami, the words of one of his waifus passed through his thoughts. _Mihoshi! I swear I'm going to kill you!_


	19. Interlude 1: Letters Home

A change of pace with the canon laden chapters of late. While chapter 14 will be based on canon, we are going to be moving away from it now. Enjoy this little detour:

 **Letters Home:**

To the Honorable Lady Panache Fure Kalgi, Knight Commander of The Rose Order:

My Dearest Sister:

I am not sure why I am writing this. Maybe that I am starting to believe it when they tell us we'll go home someday. On the other hand, I'm not sure that father would want to hear from me right now. This isn't exactly the glorious homecoming he expected. I know he thought this would be so easy. To be fair so did I. We were the greatest army ever assembled by the greatest empire the world had ever known, of course, it was going to be easy. We would win in a week and send home wagons of gold, slaves, and riches and the girls eager to fall into our arms and all the natives in awe of us.

We lost before we ever got here. That's the truth. We were like country peasants going to the capital to show how worldly we were. These people aren't like the Empire and it is probably a good thing. They could have easily killed all of us if they wanted. I'm still not completely sure why they didn't.

Maybe now might be a good time to tell you about where I am. We call this place 'Hardy's Hole'. It's an island that's all one big smoldering volcano. The guards call this place 'Camp Charon'. I asked one of the guards who Charon was and he told me that Charon ferries the souls of the dead into Hardy's realm. For some reason, they call her 'Hades'. I think they don't know the gods like we do. There is a priest here. (They call him a chaplain) But his god seems a little odd. He's hard to describe. The best I can compare is if grandfather were a god. He gets disappointed when you break his rules but still looks after everyone. At least that's what they say. But they've got other gods that don't seem to have anything to do with him. I think the gods left here a long time ago and so everyone just has stories about the gods. Maybe they're lucky that way.

Anyway, we live in huts assigned according to rank. I'm the lowest ranking of twelve officers assigned to our hut. For a prison, it's actually pretty comfortable. If my cot isn't exactly up to mother's standards, it is still much better than lying on the floor. There is no bath, but there is a shower. Warm water is a privilege. Privileges are granted based on behavior rather than rank: military or social. Likewise, food is plentiful if not epicurean. On the other hand, not even the lowliest has ever been made to eat molded, rotten, or spoiled food.

Viscount Maio started a riot when he had a rumor spread that these 'Americans' (Most of the guards are from a place called America. The rest are from Japan. Japan is the country we attacked. It's like if barbarians had attacked the Kingdom of the Elbe, not even knowing the Empire was right there.) Anyway, that the Americans were serving dead demi-humans as food. A couple guards were hurt and so were several prisoners. I don't think the Viscount expected the guards to use lightning to stun rioting prisoners.

He also didn't expect Colonel Masters to track it back to him. Colonel Masters runs the camp. She's like you I think. Not someone I would want to make angry. Two days after the riot, Colonel Masters had the entire camp assemble and I don't know how but she cast Viscount Maio's voice for everyone to hear, saying how stupid non-humans were and hoping that the riot would kill a lot of both guards and demi-humans. The guards had to keep the non-humans from rioting again and attacking the rest of us and Maio was put in 'solitary confinement' That's basically more like a normal prison cell, 'for his own safety', they called it. Colonel Masters summoned him to her office just before and those who saw him afterward said they had never seen him so pale.

But back to what my day is like here. They go to great lengths to make sure we occupy our time. They have taught us some of their games and organize huts or groups of huts into teams. Volleyball is popular. It's a game of two sides punching a large ball over a 'net' and keeping it up until it goes to the other team's territory. It's harder than it sounds but I'm actually pretty good at it according to the guards. The guards said they would like to teach us another game called 'baseball' but they can't because of security. Apparently, it involves two teams and one team are given clubs while the other team throws balls at them. I'd rather be holding the club I think.

They have classrooms to teach us their languages. The Americans speak a variant of the High Tongue. Japanese is much different though. The letters are different from anything I've ever seen except maybe Elven.

There is a small shop to buy luxuries like the paper and the ink I am using. We earn the money by volunteering for work details. Don't worry, it's nothing dangerous. They say they have laws about how they can treat prisoners. Seems like a hassle but I'm not going to complain.

A few weeks ago they shipped in more prisoners. Have they really taken Alnus Hill? It's a silly question since I've talked to soldiers that were there. 'Shipped' might not be the right word for it. For the first time, I got to see how I got here from the outside. They actually _fly_ a giant mechanical dragon and the people are _inside_ it! Probably why they blindfolded us for the trip. Had I known I probably would have been in a panic. Not like you. I'll bet you would have loved it.

From what the newcomers tell me, we've now lost the better part of 300,000 men. I'm going to say something. Father would call it cowardice but we can't fight this enemy. We'll lose everything if we try. Please don't think me a coward. I'm not afraid of dying but I don't want to die for nothing and more importantly, I wake up in cold sweats having nightmares about the Emperor ordering you into battle and you riding your favorite horse, Imperator into battle with the rest of the Order. It always ends the same: I get there after the battle to find you all dead. I'm scared of that more than anything else Panache!

As I said, I'm expecting father won't understand. He was hoping this campaign would give him something to pretend to be proud of. So he could swap lies with his old friends from his old campaigns and ask which of their daughters were ready to be married without being too embarrassed in front of his friends. Well, I'm not dead. I think that puts me ahead in the competition now.

I'm sorry if I sound bitter but all I want is to see all of you safe and I don't care about honors and triumphs. I miss you.

I hope I will be able to send this letter someday and that it finds you well.

With love, Tiberius.


	20. Chapter 14: Stepping Off

**Chapter 14: Stepping Off**

 **Dessria Way**

The two lieutenants watched the vehicles of 3rd Recon Squad peel out in a cloud of dust with a mixture of relief and worry. They were relieved as the knights had been too taken off guard to give prompt chase and as the vehicles accelerated away, the knights, as Taylor expected, had settled for the birds in hand rather than engage in a futile chase as to their surprise, the other world carriages had no apparent difficulty with the terrain.

On the other hand, the two lieutenants now had the complete and undivided attention of over a dozen unhappy knights.

"So how do we get out of this?" Itami asked Taylor.

"Let me get back to you on that." Taylor replied calmly, never taking his eyes off 'White Rose'. "Who commands here?" Taylor demanded with all the authority he could put into his voice.

"I am Bozes Co Palesti!" 'Yellow Rose' replied, asserting her own authority. "Daughter of Marquis Palesti and Knight Commander of the Rose Order! You are our prisoners!" She insisted, continuing to hold her sword at Itami's throat. "We will go to Italica and you will answer the questions of the Imperial Princess," Bozes eyes narrowed. "And if Her Imperial Highness has been harmed…" She left the threat unspoken but clear.

Taylor carefully turned his head to address her, "We look forward to seeing Her Imperial Highness again."

"Search them," 'White Rose' ordered two other knights,

 _All right, Itami thought. Just remain calm. This might work out. They're taking reasonable precautions but they don't seem as antagonistic toward Taylor as toward me. Speaking with respect but demanding respect. Maybe that's what I did wrong? My posture and voice were too submissive? Well, It will be alright now. We'll go to Italica and that Princess will straighten it all out. Though I thought she said her knights were coming from the east? If they were coming up this road, why didn't we spot them on our way into Italica? We either should have passed them or they should have beaten us there._

 _Well, looks like there will be time to figure that out later,_ Itami decided as one of the knights searched him and removed his combat knife and sidearm among other things, the latter presumably more as an item of interest rather than interpreted as a threat, the former with a little bit of a frown. Stil it seemed that things would sort themselves out. The second knight searching Taylor in a likewise fashion.

Panache waited impatiently. She knew that part of her wanted to find an excuse, _any_ excuse to lash out at these men. Were they not the enemy after all? Were they not of the people who had taken her little brother from her? The same people who now invaded her homeland?

And yet these men were prisoners. And she was a Knight Commander in the Rose Order. She knew that many 'real' soldiers, legionaries thought the Order and its ideals were a joke, that notions of honor and chivalry were meaningless. The question was what did she truly believe. She could take out her anger, frustration, and pain on these men. In exchange, she would admit that the detractors of the Order were right. That her own honor, as well as that of both the Order as a whole and that of Her Imperial Highness, counted for nothing. And that the admiration Tiberius had always shown for his older sister had been misplaced. Yes, she wanted to best this enemy in battle but if they were barbarians and cowards, must she become one herself? And as she uneasily watched these men, she began to think that she had erred in that hasty acceptance of 'common knowledge'. Had they not sacrificed their freedom for their fellows? Was that not in keeping with the same ideals she claimed to believe in?

Millet finished searching the fairer of the two men and presented the items she had confiscated to Panache. Likewise, Zivana had finished searching the shorter one and handed anything of interest to Bozes. Among the items handed to her, Panache eyed a simple coin purse with suspicion as she opened it to find Imperial Cinque and Silver Denarii. _Perhaps I was premature in thinking better of these men?_

"And what might you be doing with these?" She asked the fairer man in a tone of warning.

"Given to me by Lady Octavia, wife of Legate Germanicus," he replied.

Panache raised an eyebrow in surprise at that name. Octavia was a name that commanded respect even in the absence of her husband. "And what service might you have provided that house?"

"My Lady simply said that if I was to carry the name Octavus, then I should have a proper allowance and also something about commissioning a good swordsmith. Apparently, it amuses mother that my people create amazing things but can't craft a decent sword worthy of Her House name."

"Why didn't you say something about this earlier?" The other man protested, apparently equally surprised and ignoring the stunned look on Bozes face.

"First off, it's bad form to trade off the family name. Second, would you believe it if one of them told you she was adopted by Admiral Togo's granddaughter?"

"Who?" The shorter one asked.

"Unbelievable. You don't even know the name of one of the greatest heroes of your own country… Un-flipping-believable." The fairer man replied in apparent dismay at his compatriot. "I thought we agreed that the first priority was getting our people out of here before somebody made a mistake?" The two men seemed to be too busy to remember they were both still prisoners.

"Of course!" The shorter man agreed. "I was hoping to tell them we have an agreement with Princess Pina but if I can't get a word in edgewise?"

"But OUR copy of the agreement went back with Colonel Kengun," The other man replied. "I doubt they'll just take our word for it."

Bozes cleared her throat for attention, still holding her sword at Itami. "Interesting claims that you cannot prove at this time."

"Whether we accept these claims," Panache added, "You are still our prisoners. However, accepting that you may be speaking truthfully…" Panache paused in thought. Taking the prisoners to Italica on foot was not an option. Time was of the essence and if in fact, these men were not lying, dragging them behind galloping horses might not be a good move.

But Panache and Bozes were not about to simply trust these men either or to take careless chances. Obviously, the prisoners would have to be doubled up each with a knight on horseback and therefore, Bozes and Panache ordered the prisoners secured with wrists tied on the backs of their horses.

Several minutes later, the troop got underway for Italica at a full gallop.

"This isn't exactly what I had in mind!" Itami cried as he bounced roughly on the back of Bozes's horse.

* * *

Watching at a wary distance and undercover, the rest of 3rd Recon Squad carefully eyed the proceedings through field glasses.

"Well, at least they aren't dead." Kuwahara quipped as the knights rode off toward Italica.

"So what are we going to do?" Shino demanded.

"First thing we're going to do is to notify command that Lieutenant Itami and Lieutenant Taylor are engaged in negotiations and attempting to build goodwill. We want to keep the threat or use of force to a minimum." Kuwahara reminded them. "Second thing is for us to follow at a distance. I think we can be relatively certain they are heading for Italica but I don't intend to get caught by surprise again."

"Right." Shino agreed.

"Third is that rotating in shifts, everyone is to get a twenty-minute nap. Tired people make mistakes. That's part of what got us in this situation, to begin with." The old Sergeant Major admonished. Whatever course of action they took, they needed to be alert and not fighting their own fatigue.

* * *

 _Horseback riding lessons,_ Taylor thought to himself as they neared the gates of Italica once more. _'_ _Mother' is going to say 'I told you so' when she finds out about this. She did offer to have someone teach me but no, this was a skill I was sure wouldn't come up. Well, it did and I feel like my lunch might too._ Taylor was not exactly sure what had caused it, though perhaps Itami's attempts to steady himself by bracing his hands on Lady Bozes' behind might have had something to do with it as Bozes had suddenly and without warning, bet Panache ten denarii over which of them would reach the city gate first. The following miles had taught Taylor a few things. First was that Lady Panache was highly competitive, accepting her compatriot's challenge without any hesitation. The second was that thankfully, Panache was the better rider as she was able to keep pace with Bozes without jumping over rocks and ditches. The third point was that Taylor did not want to get on the bad side of these women, even in a state of truce as Itami could now attest.

Finally Panache reached the gate of Italica, much to her relief not only finding a city not only secure, as Taylor and Itami had promised but to find the rest of the advanced detachment having already arrived at the East gate as planned as Lady Merisa recognized the Order's colors and commanded the Gate be opened while she sent a messenger to inform Princess Pina that her Knight Commanders had arrived. Panache looked back over her shoulder at Bozes and grinned in satisfaction as Bozes nodded in relief. Bozes entered the gate and addressed Merisa as she approached.

"We have prisoners for Her Highness to question." Bozes declared as she dismounted her horse. As she drew a knife and cut Itami's bindings, the exhausted and thoroughly nauseous and unsteady JSDF officer unceremoniously slumped off the horse and to the ground. To Bozes' surprise, a gasp of shock and dismay came out of the gathering crowd of locals as two of the city guard rushed forward to pick up Itami.

Panache watched this and carefully dismounted, gesturing for Merisa. Panache cut Taylor's bindings. "Help me with this prisoner." As they eased Taylor down, he sank to his knees, spent. Panache and Bozes shared a look. This was going to be a difficult day.

A few minutes later, Bozes, Panache, Merisa, and Millet escorted the two prisoners to Countess Formar's mansion, where Princess Pina was ensconced. Entering the great room where Her Imperial Highness was waiting for them. Itami was now partially conscious though quite insensate and Taylor was trying and failing to follow the proceedings through a haze of exhaustion, his body stiff and sore and the two men slumped, sitting on the floor with their backs against the wall as Bozes and Panache knelt before Princess Pina to give their report.

Bozes began: "Highness, after receiving your message, we elected to form a fast detachment to ride ahead of our main force. Approaching Italica, Panache and I took several volunteers and opted to circle around to the South Gate where your message informed us the bandits were attacking. We hoped to reconnoiter their numbers and attempt to locate their camp. If we could surprise their camp with a determined mounted attack, we believed we could rout them in short order." Bozes took a breath, noting how Her Highnesses eyes were glancing over to where Hamilton was trying to get Itami to respond to her.

"We encountered a small group of unusual carriages heading south, away from Italica, I ordered them stopped. At which point we confirmed that they were part of the other world enemy at Alnus. We demanded their surrender. The two officers surrendering to give the carriages an opportunity to escape. They…" Her report was cut off as Pina dashed a wine goblet at her longtime friend and companion.

"Gods damned! Do you two have the slightest idea of what you've done!" Pina cried in anger, fear, and frustration. "You idiots!"

"Your Highness?" Panache asked, stunned by Pina's violent outburst as she took a cloth to tend the cut now bleeding on Bozes' forehead. "What have we done wrong?"

"Can't you tell?" Pina growled, looking to where Itami had just collapsed.

"They said there was an agreement but…" Panache tried to explain.

"Yes! An agreement that you two broke the day it was signed!"

"We did not know if they were telling the truth!" Bozes explained. "If they had been lying, we needed to detain them. I admit that I did initially strike one of them but once we took them into custody, we didn't intentionally injure them."

"You have no idea of how dangerous their people are. I saw with my own eyes the terrible engines and magics at their command! That you are here at all is by their choice! Their power renders honor, valor, and glory meaningless! If they choose to use this incident as an excuse to attack us, nothing could stand in their way! I will do everything I can to prevent that power from being turned on the Empire." She turned to Hamilton.

"Hamilton! Find Kaine! Inform her that Itami and Taylor are to be treated and cared for as honored guests. She is to take personal responsibility for them!"

"Yes, your Highness!"

Pina then turned to her two beloved friends and sighed. "Your actions were understandable but very unfortunate. Go rest. I must try to think of a way to fix this mess."

Relieved to see at least some of the anger gone from their Princess, liege, and friend, Bozes and Panache accepted their dismissal, bowed and left as Pina worried and tried to think of how to salvage this.

* * *

The bed was soft, the sheets were crisp and clean. There was a warm breeze and a gentle fragrance like lilacs in the air and every part of William Taylor's body ached as he woke. It was certainly the most comfortable bed he had ever been in. This was almost certainly a room in Countess Formar's mansion. _It probably won't be long before the rest of the squad gets here. Well, I suppose that it's time to wake up._ As his eyes focused, he glanced around

Three young ladies in the uniform of the Formar Palace maids stood at his bedside, eyeing him with curious expressions. The first was a bunny girl. _It actually sort of figures,_ Taylor considered, thinking about Lady Octavia's own personal guards and retainers. _Well hello, Thumper!_ He thought as he got a good look at her. Past the ears which were brown, to the blonde hair and hazel eyes. The other girls were a human with striking red hair and green eyes and surprise, surprise! a catgirl. _Well, Kurata, they're here,_ Taylor mused, gazing upon the black hair and Blue black fur. _My! Luna! What big eyes you have!_

Presently they bowed and smiled.

"You are awake master!" 'Thumper' greeted him. She looked at the red-haired maid. "I will go inform Kaine that Master Taylor is awake." She turned back to Taylor and curtsied. "Excuse me, Master," she said and then left the room, to return but only a couple minutes later with the older, matronly woman, Taylor remembered from the negotiations as being Kaine, the head of Countess Myui's household staff.

Currently, the older woman began to speak.

"Ah! Lieutenant Taylor! Thesa told me you were awake. This is good news! I was just on my way to check on Sir Itami. You both have been treated horribly in exchange for your valor here. We would not blame either of you if you chose to destroy Italica in retribution for the wrongs done to you both. I will pledge Sir Itami my own hands in carrying out his vengeance but I only ask that Countess Myui be spared!"

Lieutenant Taylor blinked at this proclamation. They really thought that destroying a city was the proper response for Lese-majeste.

"I'm certain it won't come to that," He replied.

Kaine breathed a sigh of relief, although there was still considerable concern remaining in her expression. "It is good of you to say that. I only hope Sir Itami is as understanding. I will report to him that the knights responsible for the affront done you both have been firmly rebuked by Princess Pina and she has commanded that you both should receive our finest care."

"Well, I don't recall those knights having been here when we made the agreement with the Princess and with Italica, so I can't objectively fault them for taking action against a presumed enemy. Seriously, there were mistakes on both sides and I am glad that we managed to prevent escalation." Taylor answered.

"Again, I hope that Sir Itami agrees with your generous assessment. In the meantime, I am assigning Thesa, Katrine, and Madelyn to tend to your injuries and any need you may have."

"That's very kind of you," Taylor noticed that the Bunny girl was eyeing him with a smile as were the other two, if more subtly.

"Again, it is nothing for one of the warriors who saved our city." The woman replied and then left leaving the three maids behind.

 _Well, this HAS to be worth 5 stars in the Michelin Guide_. Taylor thought as he resigned himself to cruel fate: _Sooner or later the rest of the squad is going to show up and then it's back to work!_

* * *

Meeting with Bozes and Panache, Princess Pina sighed.

"You attacked the Alliance, to whom we had guaranteed safe passage, taking hostage both Sir Itami and Sir Taylor. This is a serious breach of our treaty. They possess the power to fight off a Flame Dragon. If they make this a reason to make war with us, you can easily imagine what would happen to the Empire."

"Yes," Bozes admitted quietly. The two knights were shaken by how their apprehension of two of the bandits their Emperor had proclaimed were vested on sacred Alnus hill had turned into the threat of a war more devastating than anything they ever imagined.

Their Princess continued. She had to avert this disaster by any means necessary. She looked upon her knights, her friends, with resolve and regret,

"We must make them willing to forget this incident ever happened." Pina averted her gaze from her two friends and stared down into her own lap, dismayed by what she was about to order them to do. "And you need to use your bodies to accomplish that." She met their stunned eyes levelly. "You both deserve better than this but…" Her voice trailed off. Her two closest friends: Bozes could almost certainly claim the hand of any man in the Empire and Panache… Pina did not like engaging in palace gossip but it was generally known, though not spoken above a whisper, that Panache and Pina's half-brother Diablos had been connected until a recent falling out between them. Pina had seen her pain and out of respect and care for Panache, never questioned her about what had happened, though her brother's retainers were apparently much less discreet: Apparently Diablos had deemed it unworthy of his efforts to grant a particular favor to Panache and use his influence on her behalf. And now Pina had no choice but to ask this of her...

"As a daughter born to a noble family, I know what to do in such a situation. I shall offer my body up for the sake of you and the Empire." Bozes answered in true devotion to her Princess.

Panache closed her eyes. It was a necessary sacrifice. She would handle the other barbarian.

"For you, for the order and for the Empire," Panache affirmed, already steeling herself for the ordeal to come.

* * *

Taylor remembered touring 'The Breakers', the Vanderbilt Mansion in Newport, once. He recalled how imposing and isolating the bedrooms had seemed. Thankfully, although impressive, Countess Formar's Mansion still felt warm and embracing. As he waited for the rest of the squad to get here, Thesa, Katrine, and Madelyn continued to fuss over him. He would have been lying if he said he wasn't enjoying it. In the meantime, he felt reasonably certain the squad was somewhere in the city by now. Finally, he noticed Thesa's ears raise as if having picked up just the slightest sound.

"We have visitors outside."

"The rest of Sir Itami's men perhaps?" Madelyn considered. "I will see Kaine In case it is someone who would harm our guests, Master Taylor will be safe under your eyes." Madelyn proceeded to the door that connected Taylor's room to the one where Lieutenant Itami was being tended to.

"Mamina and Persia are looking into it," Kaine informed her.

In short order, it was confirmed that 3rd Recon had arrived and Lieutenant Itami had declared a 'cultural exchange', resulting in a veritable celebration in his room. Lieutenant Taylor still not feeling quite up to carrying his weary and still sore body to Itami's suite, waved for his minders to go enjoy the impromptu gathering rather than sit with him, listening to the merriment from a distance. _Maybe Katrine will use Kurata as a scratching post? Mind what you wish for Sergeant._ Taylor was content to simply rest.

So it was that Taylor was alone as Panache entered the suite. Truly only her devotion to Pina could give her the strength to do this thing. Of all the men in the Empire, Panache had only allowed Prince Diablos to touch her in an intimate fashion and even that was something she had no intention of allowing again. Not after he had so clearly demonstrated how little her concerns mattered to him! But now she had a duty to her Princess and to the Empire. The daughter of Baron Kalgi wore an outfit of only the finest silks available in the Empire. She took a deep breath and entered the room.

The American looked up in surprise as Panache entered. He remembered her quite well from before but the outfit she wore was something unexpected. _See through?_ But then this whole thing had been one unexpected mess. At least it didn't seem as if she planned to kick the crap out of him. Not that he thought that the locals would take well to that if she did but no. Something else was at play here and recalling his long discussions on Saderan customs and societal rules with Lady Octavia, Taylor had a fairly good idea what. The trick was in handling this without it blowing up in his face. First, acknowledge her presence and assess the situation without creating or furthering expectations.

"Mi'lady? I apologize if these are supposed to be your chambers? One of us seems to be confused and I'm sure it's me."

Panache blinked. On the one hand, he was being quite courteous in tone. On the other hand, did this simpleton not understand that she was offering herself to him? Or worse? Was he being insulting by feigning ignorance? _Am I not attractive enough? Not woman enough for him?_ The thought began to raise her ire. She forced herself to suppress it.

Princess Pina's will on this matter was clear. The JSDF and its allies were not to be antagonized into making war against the Empire. Unfortunately, Panache and Bozes had given provocation and would have to rectify this matter.

"Does the sight of me offend you, Sir Taylor?" She asked him.

Taylor blinked. "Not at all My lady. The sight of you is quite pleasing. Although why you would grant me the privilege escapes me."

Panache allowed some of her annoyance and frustration to fade. _So he finds me attractive. But could he truly not understand my purpose here? Surely he is not so clueless?_

"I have acted in a manner unbecoming toward you and I must atone for my error. Please… allow me to expunge my offense upon your person."

The lieutenant looked wide-eyed. _This is really a thing here. This is truly a feudal society. The easy thing would be to go along with her. The right thing though… Damn it! Why can't the easy thing and the right thing ever be the same thing?_

"My lady," he began carefully, "I fear you proceed from a false assumption." He raised a hand to stop her objection. "While you would do me a greater pleasure and honor than I merit, my honor would be forfeit. Your beauty is undeniable but I can only shame myself to be with you under your duress."

Panache was dumbfounded. This did not conform to the rules of her own society. It was oddly touching that the preservation of her dignity was considered a point of honor for the 'barbarian'. _I guess that too has been a disservice born of ignorance to term a people 'barbarian' without knowing who they are._ But it remained that she had a duty to her princess.

"I thank you for your kindness, but I must atone for my error," Panache told him. "And I must fulfill the commands of my Princess."

"Why would she think this was necessary?" Taylor asked.

"Because we violated the treaty she signed with you. Her Highness feels you might wish to use our offense as provocation to war upon us and Her Highness wishes to avoid this. To that end, I will do whatever I must."

Taylor pushed his aching body up out of bed and knelt before her.

"I pledge to you upon my sacred honor that such a thing will not happen. The fault was not yours. If anything, having secured Princess Pina's pledge of safe passage, it certainly should have occurred either to Lieutenant Itami or me to ask for a writ proving that such a guarantee had been given. That we did not is our error, not yours. You have nothing to atone for and my report to my superiors will state exactly that." Taylor promised.

Panache bowed her head in acceptance and relief. "You have my thanks."

Taylor simply nodded. At least until he heard Kuribayashi.

"What? Lieutenant Taylor is proposing!" Shino exclaimed as she happened to look through the open doorway between the two rooms. Taylor and Panache suddenly had over a dozen people staring at them. Most of them with stunned expressions, mostly giving way to smiles and grins.

Itami's grin was perhaps the most insufferable of all. "Do it! He's a great catch!"

 _That's not helping, Itami!_ Taylor thought and then a moment later witnessed a certain karmic justice as Bozes, angered from being completely ignored, leaped up onto Itami's bed and slapped him hard across the face.

Panache slumped.

"Oh dear." Taylor sighed.

* * *

It was only minutes later that Princess Pina was informed that an incident had occurred involving Lieutenant Itami. Her heart sank as Bozes admitted striking Itami again. Pina scrambled to find some way to repair the damage she believed to have been done. Her sense of panic rising when she was informed that Lieutenant Itami had been recalled to testify before Japan's National Diet. Seeing the situation slipping from her grasp, Pina declared without preamble that she would accompany Third Recon back to Alnus to offer a formal apology to Itami's superiors. After some discussion, the Princess would go to Alnus with an escort, accompanied by Bozes, Panache, and Hamilton. The latter was a last minute suggestion by Lieutenant Taylor as it only made sense for Princess Pina's Aide-de-camp, the very person who had put the negotiations between Italica and the Pacific Allies to paper, to be there to record everything and if needed, to comment on details regarding the agreement. As for Panache, it seemed reasonable….

 _Or do I just want to see her more?_ Taylor wondered. _That's ridiculous! And at any rate, it was her insistence that she lead an escort for Her Highness._

 _We've radioed in our escort and passengers and our ETA. I'm sure that General Hazama and Colonel Lowe will make a suitable demonstration for their visit. Rory is right. It might not be Itami's intent, but they want the Princess to know fear like she's never imagined. They can't defeat us. We can break them. We can destroy them. And then what?_

With Panache's insistence on an escort for Princess Pina, Taylor informed them that General Hazama had agreed the escort would be allowed to carry swords but not to draw them and that Panache needed to select knights who would not startle easily. Panache selected Merisa, Millet, Zivana, and as her second in command, a knight by the name of Vermouth, a tall lean, blonde haired young woman who had also been part of Bozes and Panache's advanced scouting party earlier.

"You're going to have to leave your horses here," Taylor told Panache. "There's too much chance of the horses spooking on the way in."

"More of your 'Iron carriages' then?" Panache asked.

"No, by helicopter: The 'Iron Pegasi' as Her Highness called them. It will be faster. I'll be flying back with you, so you will be waiting when Princess Pina arrives."

Panache grinned in anticipation. She loved speed. She had wanted to find a trainer to teach her to ride a dragon mount but given Hamilton's descriptions of the Iron Pegasi, this promised to be even more exhilarating. Her excitement only grew as she set eyes on the huge CH-53K King Stallion set down with two squads of Marines on board.

"We will await your safe arrival at Alnus, your Highness." Panache told her liege before boarding the 'Iron Pegasus' The marines keeping watchful eye on their guests though they need not have worried. With the exception of Panache whose fascination and excitement only grew as the helicopter accelerated to cruising speed, the knights accompanying her were too stunned to do more than feign calm and pray to the gods that the ride would soon end.

In a very short time, the King Stallion landed back at Alnus Base, dubbed 'Fort Defiance' by those in the American contingent. After the arrival of Princess Pina, Taylor was ordered to report to Colonel Lowe for debriefing while Pina, Bozes, and Hamilton were escorted to General Hazama's office and Kurokawa and Shino showed Panache and her knights to guest quarters.

Hours later, Pina and her companions returned from their meeting with General Hazama and to the shock of Panache and the others, announced that she intended to go through the Gate to Japan. In the meantime, Lieutenant Taylor had been informed that in the morning he would accompany Pina's group along with Itami and Sergeants Tomita and Shino. Passing Itami's open door, Taylor noted Lelei asleep on the 1st Lieutenant's cot and Itami fast asleep beside it. He gently closed the door. He had plenty of work still to do before he hit his rack for the night.

Tomorrow, after breakfast and a stop at medical for mandatory examinations, it would be time to take Princess Pina through the looking glass.

* * *

 **United States Embassy in Tokyo**

Ambassador Stevens set the phone back on its cradle and looked up at his visitor with a smile. "Looks like we've finally found the opening we've been looking for."

William Russell, special representative of President John Merwin, nodded. "It's damn well about time."


	21. And Stir

**Sorry for the wait. This chapter was a bit harder to work out of my rusty old brain than I had hoped. But here it is for better or worse! Read, Review, and Hopefully, Enjoy!**

 **And Stir…**

"407th Combat Support Hospital, Corporal O'Reilly speaking. Yes, sir! One moment sir." Radar punched a button. "Colonel Potter? Call on line one sir. General Hazama."

"Thank you, Radar," the colonel acknowledged and picked up the phone. After a couple of minutes, Potter called out to his company clerk."Radar!"

The corporal stuck his head in the Colonel's office. "Yes, sir?"

"I want the senior staff to meet me in the mess tent in ten minutes. Get Klinger over here to man the phone cause I want you, Parna, and Koire there too."

"Yes, sir. Is something wrong sir?" Radar worried.

"No, son. For once, things just might be going right for a change."

* * *

Ten minutes later, the senior staff was assembled and waiting.

"Well boys and girls, less than fifteen minutes ago, I got a call from General Hazama."

"Don't tell me," Hawkeye cut in. "We're surrendering."

"How dare you suggest such a thing!" Major Houlihan protested.

"She's right Hawk. They may have us in the Javelin and the steeplechase but we'll catch up in the pole vault and high hurdles." Trapper put in.

"Let's can the shenanigans folks." Potter mildly admonished. He looked down the table, making sure everyone was paying attention. "If all goes well, we may be one step closer to ending this little fracas."

"We're finally going on the offensive?" Major Burns asked with apparent relish. "Of course what we really should do is some round the clock bombing! That'll teach these savages!"

"Frank!" Pierce pointed angrily. "Shut up or I'll suture your mouth shut! Rolling over their armies with tanks and artillery isn't enough for you? Your kind won't even be satisfied blasting them back to the Stone Age! Just how much is enough for you?"

"Pierce!" Henry Blake cut in. "As much as I'd like to watch you surgically remove Frank's foot out of his mouth, I'd even more rather find out about any chance I might see my wife and kids any time this century."

"Thank you, Henry," Colonel Potter nodded and then stared sternly at Pierce and Burns. "Now if I may be allowed to continue. I've been informed that in connection with the other day's casualties we got in from the city of Italica, our people made contact with a high ranking member of the Saderan Imperial family and she has announced her intention to go to Tokyo and try to lay the groundwork for talking peace." He gave them all a moment to consider this and then continued: "Naturally, she and her party will need to undergo full medical examinations before they go through the Gate. We don't want to accidentally let in some unknown disease or take unnecessary risks with their health either. This means that for the next few hours, they'll be our guests. Keep this in mind that you people will be the last people they see before heading to our world. The manner in which you comport yourselves will affect how they view us and may well affect whether this initial dialogue gets off on the right foot."

"So how many VIPs are we talking about, sir?" Blake asked.

"Aside from Her Imperial Highness, Princess Pina Co Lada…"

"Pina Co Lada?" Trapper asked incredulously.

"I'll drink to that!" Hawkeye smirked.

"Get it out of your system boys," Potter told them.

The two surgeons, along with BJ Hunnicutt, let out just a little more laughter, then forced themselves to stop although huge smirks remained on their faces.

"As I was saying, she'll be accompanied by seven of her people. Also, the Japanese Diet has requested that some of the locals testify in regards to our presence here. It looks like we're getting three of the locals, plus three JSDF folks and one of our officers. So that's fifteen guests. General Hazama wants us to get them processed as fast as we can. In the meantime, you will be on your best behavior. Do you read me, Burns? I'm not going to have an incident because you can't keep that big yap shut."

Major Burns seemed to shrink back in his seat.

Parna raised a hand timidly. "Colonel Potter, sir?"

"What is it Parna?" He asked mildly.

"Shall I report to my quarters until after Her Imperial Highness has left? My presence might offend her." She nervously touched what remained of her left ear.

A quick glance over at Koire told Potter that the Siren was thinking along the same lines. "Negative," he declared firmly and regarded them both levelly. "I know your hearts are in the right place ladies but that's not how we do things. I want you to take a look at those uniforms you are wearing. You two wear the same uniforms as the rest of us. If there is going to be any real peace here, those uniforms have to command respect. And how can the uniform command respect if we don't insist that the person wearing it be respected? If Her Highness or any of her people have a problem with that, then they will just have to get over it. In fact, I want you two front and center today. Koire, you will be on duty in the Post-op ward. Parna, you and Radar will assist with the exams. And I am making this a direct order, ladies: You are not to take any crap from anyone. Understood?"

"Yes, Colonel," Koire answered.

"Yes, Colonel Potter." Parna acknowledged.

"Good. Henry, you'll oversee the welcome wagon."

"Where will you be sir?"

"Well, seeing as we invited an actual group of knights here and told them to leave their horses at home, someone remembered we still have a few horses left over from the start of this mess corralled to keep them outta harms way and suggested that somebody with a little horse sense help pick out a few sturdy mounts for them to take back when they leave. Might be a little more dignified of a return for them."

"Ah! A little horsing around, I see." Hawkeye grinned.

"What I wouldn't give to be one of those horses," BJ admitted. "Parole, go home and see the wife and colts…"

"Yeah, with you there Beej" Trapper agreed.

"Well boys, all I can say is that if we do our jobs right, we may be closer to the day we all go home.

* * *

Although beset with a mix of anxiousness and trepidation to cross the gate, it was urgent for Princess Pina to learn as much as possible about the Pacific Allies. That they had the power to dominate the Empire on the battlefield had been demonstrated to her in overwhelming and exquisitely, terrifyingly choreographed detail. But Pina needed to know more if she was going to have a chance at salvaging this situation. A small portion of her mind holding out a hope that if she survived this, she might learn what they could do _for_ the Empire. If they were so inclined, Pina reminded herself. _The Empire hasn't exactly been making a good impression, not that the Empire ever cared about what other nations thought before. But we have to now. No, not we... I must succeed. Whatever it takes to stay their hand._

Pina had considered sending one of her knights immediately back to Italica with a brief report on what she had learned so far but rejected that plan since Pina could picture the Senate losing their collective minds in panic and demanding 'One final overwhelming attack on the barbarians!' Such a move would not only result in the destruction of everything that remained of the Empire's Army but destroy a generation of the Empire's sons and then, thoroughly convinced the Empire could never be trusted to seek peace, the Pacific Allies would sweep over the Empire and destroy them, Pina was quite certain. Or perhaps her Father and the Senate would regard her report as the panicked delusions of a little girl playing at war and she would be told to 'let those who truly understood these things do their jobs'.

No. She needed to learn as much as she could first and then she had to figure out how to make the Senate and her father understand a truth even the more peacefully inclined members of the Senate would not wish to hear.

At Pina's side, Hamilton, Bozes, and Panache stood, with the other four knights in rank behind them. Panache resisted the temptation to fidget in her dress attire. If the train had reached Italica before all this, she could at least have argued for the unit's ceremonial armor rather than this ungainly thing she now wore but that was not to be and she would have to make the most of it, She did note with a mix of amusement and sympathy that Taylor looked equally uncomfortable in his uniform, which he called 'Dress Blues' At least the garb Panache now wore was not as uncomfortably hot as Taylor's uniform appeared to be.

What she did not know was that Taylor was thanking his status as a junior officer and thus would not be required to carry the Navy sword in case he had to don full dress. In truth, he did not wish to be embarrassed by carrying a pretty little sword with no edge… especially not in front of Panache.

Presently, they were introduced to Colonel Potter, Here was a man who exuded calm and command presence despite his short size and grandfatherly face.

"Welcome to the 407th, your Highness. I know you must be anxious to get this done with and we'll try to expedite things as best we can. In the meantime, my second in command," Potter nodded to the tall, affable-looking man next to him. "Lieutenant Colonel Henry Blake will be happy to show you around our little outfit and I understand there's a need for good horses heading back home. That's more my expertise than any of these younger folks around here so I'll personally be overseeing that."

Princess Pina nodded. "Thank you, Colonel. Panache is our best rider so as soon as she is free to do so, she will see to selecting appropriate mounts for our return home."

"Perhaps Lieutenant Taylor could be of assistance," Shino suggested with just a touch of a smirk.

Taylor noted with tightly controlled irritation that Itami was practically grinning at this. "I'm afraid that's outside my skill set Sergeant," Taylor said carefully. "Of course I'll be happy to help in any way I can," he added quickly, not wishing to sound as if he was trying to avoid being in Panache's company. _Well, this suddenly got awkward._

"Of course, Lieutenant," Panache replied attempting not to offend. "We would welcome your accompaniment."

Shino nodded in self-confirmation, while Colonel Potter shrugged aware that there were undertones that he was not privy to. It wasn't his concern.

"Well, then we'll get you two on the top of the queue." Potter agreed. "Well, let's get moving, shall we your Highness?"

"By all means, Colonel." Pina agreed, eyeing Panache curiously. There was a certain touch of redness in her cheeks and in Taylor's as well _. Did something happen? Did part of my other plan actually work? I will need to discreetly inquire with Panache later._ But that was for another time.

They followed Colonel Potter into the hospital and soon the examinations were ready to start. Colonel Potter introduced them to Captain Pierce in his capacity as Chief Surgeon and Major Houlihan as head nurse.

"And assisting them will be Corporal O'Reilly and Specialist 4, Parna." Potter waited for any sign of reaction to Parna's presence.

Princess Pina took careful note of Parna, including the fact that she wore the same uniform as many of the people she had seen here. The message was quite clear: Parna was to be considered and treated as one of them.

"Corporal O'Reilly," Pina bowed her head in acknowledgment. "Specialist Parna." We appreciate your efforts here today." Pina made it clear to her own people how she expected them to behave. Though the idea of allowing a non-human to wear the same uniform, thus implying that she had the same privileges, was something that could never happen in the Imperial Army. Pina reminded herself again that these people were different and they also were too dangerous to risk insulting. She and her people needed to learn about these people, not foolishly antagonize them.

At this point, Colonel Potter seemed satisfied to step back and allow his people to handle matters.

As promised, Taylor and Panache were processed first. As he had in Yokosuka, Taylor volunteered to allow their visitors to watch just exactly what was involved in this kind of examination and pointing out that their exams would have a good deal more privacy. Once completed, Taylor stood aside and waited as Panache stepped forward and her exam was carried out with the proper degree of privacy and without incident.

Ignoring the eyes following them, the two followed Colonel Potter out to where the surviving Saderan horses were being kept.

"This way folks. I've already got men waiting for us," Potter told them.

With Captain Hunnicutt and Nurse Kellye and Captain McIntyre and Nurse Ginger Bayliss also joining in, the remaining exams were completed in short order. All that remained was for blood and culture samples to be processed. Corporal O'Reilly taking custody of the samples.

"I'll get these to the lab right away." Radar then looked to Lt. Colonel Blake. "Will there be anything else sir?"

"No Radar, I think that will be all for now. You and Parna can go."

"Thank you, sir, I should go relieve Klinger."

"You go ahead then," Blake told Radar and then added an afterthought. "By the way Radar. How are the language lessons going?"

"Oh! Good sir! Parna is even already teaching me some of her language." O'Reilly considered. "It's tricky though. You gotta follow some really soft tones and I'm not used to how to form the words off my tongue. I can't shape the sounds right yet."

"We will practice with tongue today," Parna stated, her focus on Radar blocking out everything else.

Trapper John McIntyre grinned. "Be gentle with him, okay?"

"Have fun kids!" Hawkeye chimed in as they left.

Henry Blake shook his head and suppressed the desire to roll his eyes at Pierce and McIntyre but then returned his attention to Princess Pina. "Now if you'll follow me?" He invited. "Your Highness." He addressed her.. "We would like to give you a brief tour of our little outfit."

"Thank you, Colonel Blake." Pina agreed.

"This way then," Blake invited.

"Just one moment Henry, if you wouldn't mind?" Trapper interrupted. "I need just a moment to consult with my colleague?" He said pointing to Hawkeye. "Promise Henry, It will only take a minute."

"Well make it snappy McIntyre!"

"We promise," Trapper repeated. He then whispered to Hawkeye and pointed to one of Pina's knights.

"No kidding?" Hawkeye asked.

"I'm serious," Trapper repeated.

"Well then. We'll just see, won't we." Hawkeye told him, both men smiling in shared amusement as Pierce walked over to a glass sitting on the counter.

"That better not be what I think it is, Pierce," Henry warned.

"Relax Henry, I was just finishing breakfast when Potter called us all in. And I promise I only ate the olive." Hawkeye replied, swirling the contents of the glass as he walked over to one of Pina's knights.

"My! You're a very lovely young lady. Would you tell us your name?"

"Vermouth, daughter of Count Idryis." The tall, blonde knight replied.

"Well, then Vermouth, daughter of Count Idryis, I must say that's quite a mouthful. You really need a business card for that" He told the perplexed knight. "Hold this please." He handed her the glass and grinned.

"You're right Trap! Vermouth holding a glass of gin! And the perfect martini is born!"

"Oh, very cute you two, Can we hold off on the comedy hour?" Blake sighed.

"Who's laughing? Mankind has been searching for the ultimate martini for ages. And now the search is over. Because this is something I'd like to drink-in every day." Pierce turned to the confused knight and gently took the glass from her hand and passed it to Trapper. Then Pierce bowed with just a little flourish of the arm and wrist.

"Thank you, my lady. Your grace in all of this is a delight to behold. You've got some real social class."

He turned from the still puzzled but now blushing knight to the perpetually puzzled if kind-hearted Henry Blake. "All done Henry. I think we can move along now."

"Gee, thanks, Hawkeye. You know I could have sworn I outrank you."

"You do Henry." Trapper replied. "But you're too good an egg to hold that over us."

"Like I said: Thanks," Henry said with resignation and then turned to a perplexed Princess Pina. "As I was saying if you'll follow me?"

"Of course." Pina agreed' She looked over at Itami, Tomita, and Kuribayashi but saw that the JSDF people were seemingly as puzzled as she was over this behavior. These Americans were Taylor's people. Perhaps he might have been able to make some sense of this but he was off with Panache. _Well, nothing to be done for it_. At least no one seemed hostile.

"Not to brag, well maybe just a little," Henry told them, "but we have a ninety-eight percent survival rate once a patient reaches our door."

"And Imperial soldiers?" Hamilton asked.

"Once they get here," Pierce answered directly, "they're patients same as ours. And we do our best to keep them alive no matter what uniform they had on. Your people, our people, that's not important here. What's important is doing everything we can to keep these kids alive."

"Your people follow Hippocrates' oath to an enviable degree." Hamilton acknowledged.

"We're doctors. Either you believe in the value of a life or you don't. It's not a concept that allows for exceptions." BJ Hunnicutt replied.

Hamilton nodded in consideration.

"May we see our soldiers?" Pina asked Blake directly.

"I don't see why not." Henry agreed.

"Maybe if you could get them to calm down a bit?" Hawkeye suggested. "It's really not a great thing to have to have armed guards stationed in our post-op to make sure these kids don't keep trying to hurt themselves, the doctors, or our other patients."

"Of course, Captain," Pina agreed.

The group proceeded to the Post-Op Ward where Koire was using very strong language indeed to a scowling Saderan who reluctantly stopped pulling at his IV. Pina suppressed a blush at the words used and Father Mulcahy, who had been conversing with another patient, was wide-eyed in surprise.

"She sure told him!" BJ remarked.

"Yeah but what?" Blake wondered.

Father Mulcahy removed his glasses and wiped the lenses. Setting them back in place he sighed. "Well… It's been a few years since the seminary, so even if the local Latin hadn't drifted a bit, I'm just a little rusty but I think she was saying something about being stubborn and also casting aspersions on his father's mating habits."

Pina nodded. "More or less. The exact phrasing was a little more… descriptive." She then switched to Populari and addressed the annoyed young Saderan soldier. _"_ _What is your name, soldier?"_

The soldier's intended next scornful reply stuck in his throat as he recognized the armor of Imperial Knights and realized who was addressing him. As he reflexively swallowed, he recognized now also the garments of the Priestess of Emroy. _"_ _Your Highness! Your Eminence! I…"_ He stammered. _"_ _I am Decanus Decius El Valorus."_

"And have you been mistreated?"

He wanted to rail at the indignity of being poked and prodded by these savages and being made to share space with lesser beings as well as being addressed by that Siren, daring to speak down to him simply because her new masters considered her equal to them. A degenerate race to be sure. _"_ _I… They… "_ He hesitated. The stern look in Her Imperial Highness' eyes told him that this would not be an acceptable answer. _"_ _No your Highness."_

Pina nodded. _"_ _Very Good. Maintain your discipline but remember that the Empire needs live soldiers, not dead heroes. Any man who puts personal glory above the needs of the Empire is a traitor."_ She told him coolly, not shouting but in a voice meant for every Saderan in the room.

 _"_ _Yes, your highness!"_

"Good. All of you will conduct yourself properly. You will behave honorably. You are to observe and learn everything you can about your hosts and will inform other soldiers you may encounter to do the same."

"Of course…"

Rory Mercury smirked. _"_ _If you wish to pass on to Emroy's embrace, I will oblige."_ She said, shifting her grip on her halberd slightly.

"Koire?" Henry Blake asked. "What are they saying?"

"Respectfully, sir, I don't think you want to know."

"Good enough for me," Blake agreed.

While the blood of most Saderans chilled at the Apostle's pronouncement, the particular Saderan officer whom Father Mulcahy had just been conversing with let the tiniest smile slip. He addressed Mulcahy in Saderan English, a touch of triumph.

"Father, I have enjoyed our little chats but today I'm afraid I must declare the victory. You have yet to prove your god but the Apostle of Emroy is here. The divine agent of the God of Darkness."

Mulcahy smiled. "And there you see _my_ God."

"I'm afraid I don't understand?"

"Caim," Mulcahy addressed the Centurion by his first name. "That young man over there has managed to injure himself several times, attacked doctors and nurses and he is not alone in either deed and certainly not thought. And yet, with the choice of death offered, we can see he wants to live. Think about that. You all have been face to face with death and yet here you are. Here all of you are, in spite of the sheer odds against surviving the battles, you are here. Despite your wounds, because of the skill of these surgeons, you survived. And because of the grace of God, your Imperial Highness and the Apostle of Emroy are here. And confronted by your own Apostle of Death… I see men who want life! That is the glory of my God."

"Perhaps Father." The Centurion replied. "Perhaps."

"I can ask no more than an open mind my son."

* * *

In the meantime, with Colonel Potter's assistance, Panache had finished selecting ten quality mounts which would be waiting for Pina and her knights when they were ready to return to Italica.

"You have a splendid eye for horses, Colonel Potter." Panache complimented. "Perhaps sometime I will have the chance to show you _Imperator_. You will never find a better steed!" She boasted.

"I'll look forward to it," Potter promised as they headed back to the hospital. The Colonel cast an appraising eye at Lt. Taylor. "You really don't know much about horses do you son?"

"As I told Sergeant Kuribayashi, it's not exactly my skill set, sir."

"So why did you volunteer to come out here lieutenant?"

"Sir, there are times when lacking the ability to help does not excuse one from offering to try."

Potter looked between Taylor and Panache for just a moment and nodded. "I think I can see that. Just make sure that never gets you in a spot you can't get out of son."

"Noted sir."

Potter chuckled to himself. Soon they caught up with the rest of the group waiting in the mess. Parna and Radar were also there and as they had told everyone, Parna was teaching Radar bits of her own language.

"Not too loud." Parna reminded him. "Ours is a delicate language. It would be like shouting 'hello'."

Radar nodded and carefully and repeated the phrase Parna had given him, letting it flow delicately. Parna beamed happily.

"Yes! That was very good!"

"What is it I'm saying?"

"Don't worry about that, Radar!" Parna told him with a smile. "For now we are just working on the shape of the sounds and tone control."

"Oh! Okay."

As Colonel Potter poured himself a cup of coffee, Corporal Klinger rushed in with a stack of files. "Colonel! Nurse Able said you wanted these lab results right away!"

"Thank you, Klinger." As he took the proffered papers, Potter introduced Klinger to Princess Pina. "Your Highness, this is Corporal Klinger. Klinger, this is Her Imperial Highness: Princess Pina Co Lada. She intends to go start talking about getting this little mess over."

"And then we can all go home?"

"That's right."

Klinger fell to his knees with clasped hands. "Bless you, your Highness! Bless you! May your stars shine bright in the heavens! May the desert winds always blow in your favor! And may all of your children be born with small noses! Bless you!"

"Don't mind him," Hawkeye told her Highness. "He's only saying in his very distinctive manner what we all feel inside."

Potter meanwhile checked over the lab results. "Well, the good news is that the lab work all came back clean. You are officially all cleared to pass through to Tokyo."

"Thank you, Colonel," Pina replied with feigned calm and confidence.

"If you can find a way to make peace," Pierce told her. "I realize we are technically still the enemy and not your main concern in all this but you do this, we'll all be eternally grateful… Because, while the air here maybe just a little cleaner and the sky a little brighter, it's not a place most of us want to be. No place is ever as wonderful as home. And if you can do this, we all get to go home and I'll be eternally grateful." Pierce smiled with deep sincerity. Then the smile widened as he looked at her and all her knights. His voice louder as he continued: "And I promise you if you do this, when I get home, the first thing I do after sleeping for a week will be to go to a bar and drink in all your honors until I can't sit up anymore!" Pierce stepped back as Colonel Potter nodded.

"Good luck your highness. The horses will be waiting when you get back and if there's anything else we can do for you, ask."

"Again, thank you, Colonel Potter. Thank you all. If the Gods will it." She looked to Father Mulcahy. "Or God as the case may be, then there will be peace." Before stepping into the waiting van, she turned to address Vermouth.

"Remember your instructions. Return to Italica and discuss this with Grey and Vifita only. I want the Order to remain at Italica at least until my return."

"Yes, your highness."

"Then it is time." Pina entered the van and Sergeant Tomita helped her with her seatbelt and closed the door. As Tomita got in the driver's seat, Pina prayed a silent prayer to all the gods: The Gods of Falmart, whose motives she didn't quite trust, the God of Father Mulcahy, whom Pina didn't really understand yet, and any other gods that might be listening that she might succeed in her task.

And now the Gate awaited.


	22. Chapter 15: Through The Looking Glass 1

This took longer than I hoped but finally Princess Pina has crossed the Gate.

 **The Janus Campaign Chapter 15:**

 **Through the Looking Glass, Part 1**

As her Princess stood in shocked awe at the gleaming towers of Tokyo, Panache tried to put herself in the eyes of her brother on the day, now four months past that the Imperial Army marched confidently through the gate into a world, unlike anything any of them could have possibly imagined. This city was huge, with towers of glass and iron rather than the comparatively more modest stone, brick, and marble buildings of Sadera. Towers everywhere obscuring what lay beyond, the army's commanders would have no frame of reference to help them understand this place and to her horror, as she began to pay closer attention to the people living in these towers and moving past on the street beyond the iron fence and the gatehouse, she began to picture how the people here must have reacted to the sudden appearance of an army bent on looting and conquest appearing from out of nowhere.

The Demi-Human Auxiliaries had probably run wild in these streets and many Legionaries scarcely better.

Tiberius would have been sickened by it. He had their mother's heart and kindness and then the army would have been confronted by the defenders of this land, facing angry warriors whose homes had been violated and who had wielded unbelievable destructive power. She shivered, even as the Elven girl Tuka shivered but unlike Tuka, this was not from the cold in the air.

At the gatehouse, they were met by a man who introduced himself as Komakado. Taylor explaining to those who didn't understand Japanese that this was the head of the security detail assigned to escort them while in Tokyo. Taylor sighed as he heard Kuribayashi's stunned disbelief to the revelation that Lieutenant Itami had somehow qualified Special Forces.

Not that Taylor understood it either. There was always the chance that Itami's file had been doctored for some reason or that political shenanigans were involved or just perhaps Itami really was that good? _Nah!_ Taylor dismissed the notion. Itami was trained but if anyone would ask Taylor for one word to describe Itami, what word would that be? He considered: The single word that came to mind was affable but beyond that, Taylor began to believe he was starting to put the pieces together. The man that could pass rigorous training without wanting to live that life. A man whose hobby was more important than his career. It occurred to Taylor that every choice Itami had made was an escape. He could pass those training programs because he had to. In the service, he escaped the outside world and still supported his hobby, which was an escape. His specialty in Ranger Training: Evasion and escape. The one thing Itami could be counted to give his full attention to was getting away from things.

And that was the key. Erwin Rommel had once said there were four kinds of officers: The Stupid and Lazy ones were generally harmless, Rommel opined that these men could safely be left alone. The Smart and Industrious officers were good staff officers. The remaining two were the Dumb and Industrious sorts whose determination inevitably led to more work and complications for everyone. These men were to be rooted out at all costs. Finally were the officers which Rommel described as the Smart and Lazy ones: These men would find ways to achieve their goals with the least amount of effort possible. These men were the best leaders Rommel thought. Apparently, someone had believed this true of Itami. But was it enough? If Itami had been running toward a goal, it might have been but if Itami were running away from something? Well, one either kept running or what one was running from eventually caught up.

 _Something to think about alright Taylor. And where are you going? Are you running at all? Or just standing still?_ Taylor sighed. He was a Naval Officer, not a psychiatrist and he had a job to do. _There's a Star Trek reference in there_ , he told himself.

Security arrangements now in place, they boarded a bus with Itami instructing the driver to head for a popular high-end fashion store. It was deemed inappropriate for Tuka to give testimony before the Diet wearing blue jeans. On arrival, with the assistance of the store staff, Tuka was outfitted in a rather nice business suit, one that complimented her build quite well. _Coming to NBC this fall: Elven Law._ Taylor chuckled to himself. _A guaranteed hit_.

After this, a short break for food seemed to be in order. To Taylor's surprise, Itami opted for Gyudon. It wasn't that Taylor had any dislike for Beef Bowls, _Though I would practically KILL for some authentic Brooklyn style pizza…_

"Itami? Why this place? We're escorting the Imperial Princess and well, not to put too fine a point on it but if this were Los Angeles and I had us pull into a Taco Bell, that might not fly too well."

"We only have vouchers for 500 yen per meal. Budget's tight."

Taylor rolled his eyes. "Seriously? Itami, we're officers. This is the part where we pull out our wallets, bite the bullet for a more upscale meal and file the paperwork to get reimbursed."

Itami grimaced. "You know you can't use your allowance here." He replied in reference to the coin purse Taylor still carried.

"Itami… the service pays me a good forty-five hundred dollars a month basic pay. I live on base, I have virtually no bills and no social life. Saving money is not my biggest problem."

"You don't have an ex-wife either," Itami muttered.

"Ehh?"A number of heads turned with varying degrees of shock and disbelief.

"Who would marry him?" Kuribayashi exclaimed incredulously.

Itami gave her a cross look. "You make it sound strange that I could possibly be married." He looked at Taylor. "It is a long story."

"No doubt. " Taylor agreed. "But the main point is that between your ex and your hobby, you are broke."

"Pretty much," Itami sighed.

Taylor smirked and held up his cell phone. "Well, I got a text while we were getting Tuka dressed to kill. Mother is expecting us for dinner."

"You keep referring to her as your mother. Is that even _legal_?" Itami asked. "I assume you're not referring to your birth mother."

"No. Mom doesn't do dinner parties. As for the legality? I have no idea what Imperial law is on the subject but I am not going to be the fool that challenges that woman's will. If you want to be the guy that questions 'whether she is allowed to do something she has already decided' is a 'thing', then by all means and its been nice knowing you."

"I'll pass on that."

"Very wise of you." Taylor agreed.

"Thank you." Itami paused as he fished out his own cell phone and pulled up a text. "You think I could bring a 'plus one' for dinner? Risa has been texting me. The usual," Itami shrugged. "She's out of food, money, the electricity is about to be cut off and she has a deadline with her publisher."

"Ah! The usual," Taylor agreed."You're going to have to explain this to me sometime. You know it's your butt if she turns out to be a security risk?"

"I know but please! Risa's only interest and care is her work. I doubt anyone will find anything subversive about a doujin writer… At least nothing _criminally_ subversive," Itami added. "So?"

"I don't think mother will have a problem," Taylor told him. "She says that not even pitched battle is an excuse for poor manners and inhospitality. Of course, if someone is determined to be of ill manners, then I expect she'd be pretty ruthless about them."

"Duly noted."

* * *

After eating, the group reboarded the bus and headed for the Diet building. Much to Princess Pina's surprise, Itami informed her that while Itami, Rory, Lelei, and Tuka would give testimony before the Diet, Pina and her party would instead be taken to a different location for a meeting with Allied representatives.

Driving to the Foreign Ministry, the group paid no particular attention to the black Mercedes which left the ministry as they were pulling in. What did catch Taylor's attention was the familiar face of Chief Richardson waiting for them.

Taylor quickly introduced the Chief. "I got your text but I take it you're here for more than just to tell me 'Soup's on'."

"Yes sir, just follow me Lieutenant." the Chief led them into the Ministry building and out a side exit where a grey Chevy Suburban in US Navy markings was waiting. "Sorry for all the cloak and dagger sir," Richardson said once everyone was seated and belted in. "There's been a security leak. Somebody leaked info to a certain member of the Government opposition. We don't know how much got leaked so we're heading for Yokosuka. Vice Minister Shirayuri will be waiting for us there. I do have one piece of good news sir," The Chief noted as he put the vehicle in drive.

"Oh?" Taylor noted that the Chief was eager to tell this, so it probably involved an officer making a fool of himself. He was not to be disappointed in this assumption.

"Remember Lieutenant Fallon?"

"Yes Chief, I remember him quite well." He recalled quite well Fallon's describing the difference between a Lieutenant and a Lieutenant junior grade to him.

"You may be the last person who does, LT." Richardson allowed himself to smirk. "He picked trouble with the wrong lady!"

"Oh, really?"

"I may have had a small role."Richardson smiled. "Sir, with all respect, on the rare occasion, the wrong man gets put in the wrong place and well… Fleet politics isn't pretty sir," the Chief noted. "Anyway, it took one week for Lieutenant Fallon to be replaced. You'll like Lieutenant Colonel Mihara. She's good people. For a Marine, of course."

"Anything else I should know, Chief?"

"There was a thing or two but your mother will fill you in sir. She'd have my ugly head if I spoiled her surprise and with her, I'm not sure that's a figure of speech."

"I read you Chief," Taylor replied.

It was not long before they arrived at Yokosuka. Passing the guard station, Pina and her knights took notice that there were many people in uniforms like those worn by Taylor and Chief Richardson but virtually none wearing uniforms like Itami, Tomita, or Kuribayashi. Pina mulled on this. For some reason it was unsettling. The Empire would never have allowed another nation a base on its territory but they would use such a base in someone _else's_ country.

That suggested something very disturbing: Pina had accepted that Itami's country was vastly more powerful than the Empire. She had assumed that this Pacific Alliance was an alliance of equals or that Taylor's country was a client state of Japan in much the same way her father had summoned the armies of the Empire's vassal states. But now it began to dawn on her that Taylor's country was the dominant partner, backing up an ally the Empire had been foolish enough to attack. The power of Japan was enough to give Pina nightmares. That another nation might be more powerful still, was terrifying.

"Here we are folks!" Chief Richardson announced. "Sadera West! No littering, no loitering, and please don't feed the pigeons." The vehicle came to a stop before an impassive woman who looked to be in her late thirties and wore the olive green uniform of a Marine Lieutenant Colonel. Though not even five feet tall, this woman still radiated command authority and presence. Taylor briefly thought she was like a more seasoned and mature version of Kuribayashi. On exiting the vehicle, Taylor saluted her and introduced Pina and her party and sergeants Tomita and Kuribayashi.

"Your Imperial Highness, I am Lieutenant Colonel Mihara, United States Marine Corps. "If you will kindly follow me, Lady Octavia, Vice Minister Shirayuri and Special Envoy Russell are waiting for us."

Entering the familiar main hall, Taylor took note that Lady Octavia was not seated in her customary place at the head of the long table. Across from Octavia were seated three individuals who were definitely not Saderans. Taylor assumed the woman seated across from Octavia was Vice Minister Shirayuri. Next to her was a tall man greying hair and wisened eyes that Taylor recognized immediately. Henry Russell was, to say the least, a bit old-fashioned in his approach to campaigning. Where Joseph Dirrell had been a master of the 30-second sound bite, the former Secretary of State was at his best in a debate. Those skills had brought him close to becoming President of the United States.

And now it appeared that the career statesman and diplomat was President Merwin's representative on the 'Janus Question' Taylor wished him well. The third individual, seated on Mr. Russell's left was introduced as Koji Sugawara of the Japanese Foreign Ministry.

Octavia rose with pride. "Madame Vice Minister, Mister Ambassador, Mister Sugawara, I introduce to you, Her Imperial Highness, Princess Pina Co Lada."

Pina smiled and gave a slight nod to Lady Octavia. Privately, Pina had to admit just how much she envied the older woman's apparent calm. Not only surviving among people who had no reason to wish her well but apparently thriving.

Octavia took a moment to address a family issue. "My daughter, Lucilla and my sons Antonius and Marcus all wanted to be here when you arrived but there are serious matters to discuss first. I promised them you would be here for dinner but again, weighty matters set before us first." She turned to the Vice Minister, who addressed Pina with courtesy but also frankness.

"These will not be formal peace talks but we can hopefully establish a solid foundation for such talks. Mister Sugawara and I will represent Japan, Mister Russell is here at the behest of our American allies and of course, we appreciate both the efforts of Lady Octavia as hostess for these discussions and your own efforts, your Highness. Your willingness to come here gives us hope that a satisfactory resolution can be made to the current unpleasantries and possibly someday, a more rewarding and mutually beneficial future can be created".

Octavia then gestured for one of her household maids to withdraw seats for Her Highness, Lady Hamilton, Bozes, and Panache on Octavia's left.

"Lieutenant," Colonel Mihara told Taylor. "I'm certain you remember where the Rec. Lounge is. You and Sergeants Tomita and Kuribayashi can avail yourselves of the facilities while the discussions are in progress."

"Yes, ma'am." Taylor acknowledged the dismissal. Diplomacy, like all forms of war, was best left to the professionals.

It should have been little surprise that the large television in the rec room was tuned to coverage of the hearing before the Diet. Presently, the camera followed Tuka as she stepped down from testifying. All things considered, Taylor was glad that Aenaire had declined his invitation to come to Japan. This was growing into a circus.

"Attention on deck!" Chief Richardson barked, saving more than one man from letting slip an unfortunate comment in Taylor's presence as everyone bolted upright.

"As you were people." Taylor smiled. "Just remember those girls are like my little sisters,"

"Lieutenant? You know those girls?" Petty Officer Sanchez asked.

"Like I said, like my little sisters."

"Begging your pardon, sir." A Petty Officer 2nd remarked, gesturing to the screen where Rory Mercury was taking the stand. "But she doesn't act like _anybody's_ little sister.'

"That's because she's the apostle of death. I watched her kill two score men with a halberd as if she was doing a ballet."

"What's a halberd, Lieutenant?" The petty officer asked.

'It's a long, heavy bladed weapon that dices, slices and makes tons of julienne fries out of idiots who don't get out of her way."

Meanwhile, in the meeting hall, Princess Pina was immensely grateful to have the sharp mind of Hamilton at her side. The form of the High Tongue used here was reasonably close to what they used at home but 'reasonably' close still left room for error and that, above all else, Pina was well aware she had to avoid. The Empire was not a nation that excelled in diplomacy in the way most nations understood it. For centuries, diplomacy consisted of what the Empire wanted and making it clear how far they would push to get it. This was different. They had finally run up against nations that could not be threatened and bullied by Imperial might. Japan and America were nations that could crush the Empire with ease if they chose to do so. That they had not yet done so offered Pina a small hope that she might save The Empire, although it was dawning on her that there were many living in its lands who would shed no tears if the Empire was destroyed.

If having Hamilton at her side was a blessing in this discussion, then the presence of Lady Octavia was truly a gift from the gods. The older woman was an anchor of calm and she had apparently garnered a good amount of trust and respect from the Japanese and Americans. Pina had many things she wanted to ask her later but for now, she merely envied Lady Octavia's skill at guiding the discussions. It was also apparent that someone had spent considerable time with Octavia discussing issues that might come up well ahead of time.

"Your Highness, Madame Vice Minister, before we move on to the issue of Prisoners and Detainees," Octavia made the slightest ironic smile at that. "I should address the concept of reparations. Namely that while it would be altogether appropriate for the Empire to make a considered redress to the victims of the Ginza incident, that not only has the Empire already suffered serious loss in life that will affect the Empire for the next generation on all levels of society,but that I will caution," she said addressing those on the other side of the table. "There are practical limits to just how much the Empire can do without dangerously destabilizing itself. This could lead to unnecessary grief later. I understand that the fall of what you call the 'Weimar Republic' was partially a result of such heavy a burden?"

Pina certainly had no idea what this 'Weimar Republic' was but the Japanese and American representatives clearly understood the reference, with Mister Russell leaning back with a nod and an appreciative smile.

"You seem to know a fair amount about our history."

"Thank you. It helps make understanding each other easier. Certainly, peace must be based on understanding each other?"

"Very true." Russell agreed.

"Of course ending a war should be seen beyond simply defeating an enemy if one can seize the opportunity to make an ally instead. Don't you agree, Your Highness?"

Pina took to this with enthusiasm."Yes! Absolutely." Pina was not certain of how she would convince her father or the Senate to see things in that light but this was a path that would assure the survival of her nation.

"And now on the topic of Prisoners and Internees." Vice Minister Shirayuri announced. "Currently, our governments are holding approximately seventeen-thousand military prisoners. Also, there are four thousand non-military internees in the care of the American Government." This total included prisoners taken during the battles at Alnus as well as the Ginza Invasion.

"That's twenty-one thousand Imperial citizens!" Hamilton exclaimed.

"Speaking of which," Octavia commented. "Your Highness can be assured that we have been treated quite well. Not only those of us considered non-military but I have been allowed to see my husband who was severely injured in the initial invasion. He is recovering and I have no reason to believe they have been anything less than diligent in his care."

Russell nodded. "We have very firm laws governing the treatment of prisoners."

"And how much to get them back?" Pina asked in a calm and businesslike tone. Prisoner ransom was certainly a concept the Empire knew well.

"We do not engage in the practice of prisoner ransom and we will be happy to release a small number as a sign of good faith. Also, we are obligated to release civilian internees at the earliest practicable time," Shirayuri replied. To which Lady Octavia shook her head.

"At present, I must suggest that it would not be wise for us to return to the Empire." She turned to Pina. "Our position here might tend to make us suspect to those who inevitably will not want peace. Our families and lands would be easy targets. "

Pina considered this. Though part of her wanted to insist that no one could be so insane as to wish to continue a war with nations so much more powerful than her own, she had to recognize that peace might be a harder sell to both her father and the Senate than she wanted to believe. Her father could not be seen as acting from a position of weakness and the Senate had a mix of those who either feared damage to their own power if branded a coward or might actually be unable to understand and accept that the Empire was in a completely untenable position.

"Very well. I would wish to have your steady counsel close at hand, my lady but I understand your position."

"Thank you, your Highness. I have some thoughts about the governance of my House in my absence but they are better suited until after we finish our official discussions for the day."

"As for military prisoners," Sugawara noted, "We have cataloged all known names here." He slid over two heavy bound volumes. "We would be prepared to release a few prisoners immediately as a show of good faith."

"And a reciprocal act on our part," Pina noted.

Sitting at the end of the Imperial delegation, Panache looked apprehensively at the two large volumes. _Seventeen thousand names!_ That was more than one in ten of the soldiers that the Empire had marched through the gate. _It is possible my brother's name could be written there. And if it isn't?_

"We wish to look over the names first, of course," Pina noted,

"Certainly. Now as that concludes the formal list of topics, is there anything else we should discuss?" The Vice Minister asked.

"Actually," Lady Octavia smiled. 'I do have a matter of family concerns to be addressed…"

* * *

While the discussions continued, Itami pulled up to the gate about an hour late, his ex-wife sitting in the front passenger seat, clutching her laptop. Every few seconds she turned to glare at Itami.

"I said I was sorry Risa." Itami sighed as the woman continued to glare while clutching her laptop like a mother protecting her child.

"They forced the door to my apartment! Detained me! Took my laptop! All of my work is on that! I'm behind as it is!"

"I explained to them it was a misunderstanding." Itami defended himself.

"They knocked down my door and detained me for 'A suspicious volume of text and email traffic'?"

"Everyone is a bit jumpy. Especially Public Security. This is important!"

"So is my work! I'm not a security risk! They had no reason to handcuff me!"

"You _bit_ one of the officers!" Itami objected.

"He was taking my laptop! Like I said! All my work is in there!"

"Look, you were cleared and they promised to fix the door."

"Small favors." The small young woman groused.

At this point, Itami noticed Taylor, Tomita, and Kuribayashi watching them expectantly.

"Um...everyone, this is Risa. She is my ex-wife."

"Welcome to Camp Augustus, Risa," Taylor greeted her. "So Itami, I see your day has been a rousing success!"

"Define 'success'," Itami groaned.

* * *

 **To Be Continued...**


	23. Chapter 16: Through The Looking Glass 2

**After a long hiatus and battle with writer's block, we're back!**

 **The Janus Campaign**

 **Chapter 16 Through The Looking Glass, Part 2:**

"Well, Pina is still in discussion right now. We can wait in the Rec Lounge while they finish up." Taylor turned to Rory, "Besides, there are a bunch of people who would be thrilled to meet these young ladies, especially Rory, who just might be the most popular person in the world right now."

Itami winced as he recalled the scene on the floor of the Diet. Representative Kohara hopefully would never know how close she had come to experiencing Rory's wrath. "I certainly could have done without the excitement," He replied as they followed Taylor into the building.

"I suppose so but what's done is done and Rory just did what most people dream of doing and got away with it. I can only imagine what viral media is going to do with that." They entered the lounge area and Taylor nodded to Chief Richardson.

"Attention on deck!" The Chief called.

"At ease," Taylor instructed and then smiled. "Gentlemen… Ladies… I'm sure you will recognize our guests. Remember what I said: I consider these ladies to be like my own family. And Lieutenant Itami and Sergeants Kuribayashi and Tomita all share my feelings on this matter.

Also, I do not recommend offering Rory your immortal soul. She takes contracts seriously."

"I wouldn't mind!" A voice called from the back of the room. Taylor noted Rory begin to smile in a predatory manner.

"Be that as it may, Uncle Sam has already claimed first dibs on that so that's a non-starter."

"So close Charlie!" Someone called to the disappointed petty officer.

 _She could break your heart boys but better your heart than your spine,_ Taylor thought.

In a few minutes, they were joined by Lady Lucilla who addressed and greeted Taylor warmly. "Brother! It is good to see you!" She hugged him fondly, "Dinner will be ready shortly. They've been roasting a whole hog in honor of your return!" Lucilla looked around, noting Rory, Tuka, and Lelei. "Well brother, the famed Apostle of Emroy, a High Elf, and a mage! You have a knack for meeting interesting people. Even Her Imperial Highness and two of the Rose Order's Knight Commanders!" A touch of excitement crept into her voice. "Do you know them well brother?"

Taylor would have been glad if Shino Kuribayashi had not begun to smirk or if Rory had not opted for mischief at his expense.

"Love at first sight!" Shino announced. "We saw him propose to Lady Panache."

Rory nodded. "I'd be happy to preside over the bonding," She stated with amusement.

"I didn't…" Taylor began to protest.

"Mother will be so pleased!" Lucilla exclaimed.

Taylor kept a mask of calm on his face. _Kuribayashi! I will get you! Someday, somehow, I will get you for this!_ Not that he had anything against Lady Panache, in fact, he found her both attractive and fascinating but it was certainly a one-sided attraction. This was not the time to indulge in a schoolboy crush.

Lucilla merely smiled. "I had better help Antonius and Marcus get ready for dinner! Felicia will fetch you when dinner is ready." Of course, she needed to relay this bit of social intelligence concerning her foster brother, what others would term 'gossip', to her mother. "Until then brother." Lucilla excused herself.

At dinner then at the suggestion of Lucilla, Taylor, and Panache found themselves seated next to each other. This was to the approval of Lady Octavia and Princess Pina and the amusement of Rory, Itami, and Kuribayashi. Panache also noticed an amused twinkle in the eye of her dear friend Bozes. Of course, Panache also noticed the slightest blushing by Bozes as she took a seat next to Sergeant Tomita.

 _So! You would have Her Highness and everyone else distracted for a bit, my dear friend! Just understand that sooner or later, they will all realize there is nothing between Taylor and myself. I have no time for wistful fantasy while my heart pains over the fate of Tiberius. Besides, even were my heart not heavy with worry, I am sure that Taylor could not have interest in what my father calls 'such an unnatural girl' like me._

Now ensconced in her traditional place at the head of the table, Lady Octavia waited for all of her guests to be seated before rising, goblet in hand.

"Your Imperial Highness, Vice-Minister Shirayuri, Ambassador Russell, Lords and Ladies, Esteemed Guests, it is my pleasure to see you all tonight. Before we commence feasting, there is an important matter of business we must address. After careful consultation with Colonel Mihara and Ambassador Russell, I feel it is an appropriate time to address an important matter. None of us here can deny that a great change looms for the Empire. This is not the first time our people have been confronted with change. I intend that my family and my House will continue and may yet even prosper in the face of the uncertainties that lie ahead of us. But that will require knowledge beyond my own and an understanding of the world with which the Empire has collided. This is why I have chosen an heir from the blood of this new world. By the laws and customs of our people, I name William James Taylor as my son and legal heir. That in the eyes of the Empire he is William James Taylor Octavus. That one day he will inherit the title and lands of my father. That I believe him an honorable man, I trust that he will act to protect Our family and conduct himself honorably in all things. I would not ask that he betray the oaths or trusts of his people as only a person without honor would ask such and only a person without honor would accept such and those are traits unworthy of Our House. My son, as suited to your station as heir of my house, It is time you carried the signet of our house. Antonius?"

The older of Octavia's two natural born sons rose from his seat and stepped to his mother with Marcus right behind him. Antonius handed his mother a small box which she opened and studied with satisfaction. Come here, my son." Octavia told Taylor warmly.

As Taylor rose from his seat, Kuribayashi gave a curious glance at Ambassador Russell. "Forgive me but I thought it was against American law for its citizens to accept any titles or gifts from foreign governments?"

Russell smiled. "The exact wording in the Constitution is that 'No Title of Nobility shall be granted by the United States: And no Person holding any Office of Profit or Trust under them, shall, without the Consent of the Congress, accept of any present, Emolument, Office, or Title, of any kind whatever, from any King, Prince, or foreign State'. I think Congress will accept a recommendation to allow this. The potential for establishment of ties with a possible future ally and trading partner far outweighs any risk." There it was: From a military perspective, the United States did not consider the Empire to be any particular threat or challenge but rather an opportunity to be cultivated before opposing powers managed to get a foot in the door. What was unspoken were that there would still be consequences to come.

Her Imperial Highness listened very attentively to all this. Lady Octavia had made it clear she was acting in the interests of her House and Family. If the Empire chose to take a path of self-destruction, _her_ House would survive. Pina would pay heed to her wisdom as she wondered what would become of the Empire. What would become of those who would try to deny the truths that Lady Octavia and now Pina herself could see so plainly and what would become of the rest of them?

As Taylor stood in front of Lady Octavia, she showed him the jeweled ring which bore the emblem of her house. As she placed it on his finger, she addressed the room. "Here, before Her Imperial Highness, I affirm that as the bearer of this ring, you are the rightful heir to House Octavus." She added, "I intended for you to have this before you left but it took a little longer than I had hoped for the craftsman to complete. I am relieved that the delay did not cause you any serious trouble."

Bozes shuffled a little nervously and Panache fought to suppress her own embarrassment that they had very nearly given extreme affront to one of the great houses of the Empire.

"Nothing that we couldn't handle," Taylor answered mildly, to which she raised an eyebrow.

Panache cleared her throat and looked at Bozes who nodded. "There was an incident. We detained your son as a possible enemy combatant." Panache stated with more calm than she felt.

Octavia smiled. "My son! You have a talent for making the acquaintance of some of the most distinguished daughters in the entire Empire! I trust that difficulties were minor?"

"Completely. Lady Bozes and Lady Panache acted with all due restraint and chivalry."

Bozes, Panache, and Princess Pina herself felt a measure of relief at this. Things were bad enough without borrowing even more trouble.

"Good! I look forward to discussing family matters later. Now! Sit! Tonight's feast has been prepared in your honor, my son."

The food was excellent. The conversation was generally lively as Princess Pina expressed considerable interest in Risa and her work. The subject also eliciting interest from Lady Bozes and amusement from Colonel Mihara. Ambassador Russell fielded numerous questions from Hamilton about the governments of Japan and the United States

"It is a fascinating system," Hamilton declared finally. "But 'Democracy' on the national level would be an impractical government model in our world. It depends too much upon a learned population to function. On a small scale, it's fine. Villagers ought to know their village and understand its problems but understanding the matters of the entire nation requires an educated and informed population with the time and inclination to contemplate such things."

Ambassador Russell listened thoughtfully and nodded. What the young woman had said was correct in regards to an educated and informed population. Americans often referred to having three branches of government, each designed to keep the others in check but in reality, there were four legs upon which American democracy stood. The responsibility of that fourth branch often overlooked and ignored at peril. "It is not a perfect system and it requires a lot of effort but my people would never want to live any other way." This was one reason why Russell fervently hoped that talks between the Pacific powers and the Empire proved fruitful. He did not want to see yet another in history's long list of ham-fisted attempts at 'nation building' Democracy had to be built and nurtured from within a society and while it was the system he believed in, he suspected it would take a minimum of several decades at least to foster the changes required for an American style government to work in the lands now ruled by the Empire.

In the meantime, Lucilla eagerly questioned Princess Pina and Bozes and Panache about the Rose Order.

"You would wish to join the Order?" Pina asked Lucilla with a touch of disbelief. Afterall, had not their current circumstances demonstrated that the entire Imperial way of war was now completely obsolete?

"Absolutely! Once we return home and if mother and father permit it, I should certainly ask your Highness to consider my appointment."

"Then if that is your wish I will do so."

"Thank you, Your Highness!"

Octavia chuckled. "Lucilla has admired the Order ever since my husband and I took her to see your knights in tournament two years ago. It was most impressive."

"Thank you," Pina answered with a touch of pride returning.

As dinner progressed, Panache began to feel somewhat more at ease, enough to finally inquire on the matter dearest to her thoughts. "Colonel Mihara? I was wondering. I have not had a chance to look over the lists you provided us but my younger brother was given a commission in our expeditionary army. I was hoping if he might be held, prisoner. I know the Vice Minister said that your people did not practice ransoming prisoners but if at least I knew he was alive and could send a message to him?"

"By your leave Colonel," Taylor suggested. "I'll look into it."

"Certainly Lieutenant. "

"Thank you, ma'am."

"After you've seen to that if you and Lady Panache would join us in the sitting room?" Octavia invited.

"Of course. "

After dinner, It only took a few moments to locate the name of Tiberius Kalgi in the prisoner database.

"You said this was your younger brother?" Taylor asked Panache as he brought up her brother's file and picture. This boy looked too young to be sitting in the middle of a prison camp.

Panache smiled, feeling relief that at least Tiberius was alive and apparently safe. "He's fifteen."

"Your army normally grant commissions to fifteen-year-olds?"

"Sixteen is the normal age," Panache explained. "But our father traded some favors to get him an early commission. Father didn't want Tiberius to 'miss on the opportunity' for glory." Her tone spoke volumes about how she felt about that.

"I take it you didn't think that was such a good idea."

"Tiberius would do anything to please our father but he's a poet. A thinker. Let him learn and build!"

"So, first commission, what would they have him doing?"Taylor asked.

"Most probably serving as a messenger." Panache replied. "It's a good first assignment to acclimate a new officer to the army."

"I see. Well, it is normal practice to allow prisoners to send and receive letters and receive packages. That won't be a problem."

"Thank you." She felt a weight had been lifted from her heart. "Our mother will be very much relieved."

"It was my pleasure."

After a not unpleasant walk, Taylor and Panache reported to Lady Octavia's sitting room. Ambassador Russell and Vice Minister Shirayuri had both taken their leave by this point but Octavia's other guests along with Colonel Mihara, several of the ranking Saderan ladies, Octavia's natural children, along with the faithful Felicia and two Marine guards were present.

"I sense there is good news to report, my Lady?" Octavia asked Panache solicitously, noting the eased demeanor of the young woman.

"Yes, milady. My brother is alive and safe!" Panache reported.

"That is excellent news indeed!" Princess Pina agreed.

"Now with that happy bit of news," Octavia continued. "There is one last matter my son. Thanks to Chief Richardson, I was able to commission a swordsmith capable of forging a sword worthy of Our house name. Lucilla?"

Her daughter retrieved a long case and with a proud smile, set it on the table in front of her brother and opened it.

"I am told it is forged from something called 'L6 steel," Octavia stated. "The workmanship does appear excellent." She looked over at Colonel Mihara. "Colonel? As this room is quite secure and guarded, would it be alright to allow Her Highness and her companions to examine this?"

Colonel Mihara nodded her assent to the Marine sentries "I guess it would take a swordsman to truly appreciate a sword."

"Thank you, Colonel. I may love Lieutenant Taylor as any mother would a son, but he is simply not yet versed in the ways of the sword. I will need to find a suitable teacher for him." She turned to Pina's party: "Ladies? As we've said, it takes an expert to recognize a quality blade..."

* * *

 **Camp Charon, Iwo Jima  
**  
Early the following morning, Tiberius, son of Baron Kalgi was told to gather his kit and report to Colonel Masters office. The grim-faced sergeant giving no hint as to why. Tiberius's hut mates were certain that the boy had violated some taboo or had otherwise offended 'The Dread Lady' as Masters was called in whispered murmurs. Sergeant Giardelli calmly escorted the teen to the Camp commander's office.

"Thank you, sergeant. Wait outside," the Colonel instructed.

"Yes, ma'am."

Alone before the inscrutable gaze of 'The Dread Lady', Tiberius stood absolutely still as she studied him wordlessly for what seemed like an eternity when the impossible happened: The Dread Lady smiled.

"Tiberius El Kalgi, after a careful review of new information, it seems we have made a mistake. We had originally classified you as a combatant but according to new information, that appears to have been in error. In a minute, Sergeant Giardelli will take you to our mess for breakfast and then you will wait for transportation to Camp Augustus. Congratulations, you're on your way back to the world."


	24. Chapter 17: Tokyo Drift

**Author's Notes: Sorry for the long wait. I fought with this chapter a lot, scrapping several false starts before getting a chapter that I felt was usable. But now, without further ado...**

 **The Janus Campaign**

 **Chapter 17: Tokyo Drift**

Risa greeted the morning with a fair amount of satisfaction. She had escaped the cold, dark confines of her apartment and the empty refrigerator inside and Yoji had promised that the heat, light, and water would be back on by this evening. She had scored a very satisfying meal. _And didn't everything seem better on a full stomach?_ And this morning's prospects looked bright as well. Breakfast was an excellent notion and with Yoji's stipend payments in hand, it was a good idea to go shopping. Luckily, Itami had suggested it would be a good idea to take their off-world visitors to see the stores and markets in Tokyo. Risa had some suggestions on exactly where to go, of course.

The other satisfactory result of last night was the wealth of stories and gossip she had heard. It was perfect fodder for inspiration. Before heading off to breakfast, she opened a new document on her laptop and typed: ' **Shiroi Saten wo kiru Kishin-tachi'** , or translated: 'Knights in White Satin'.

At this same early hour. Princess Pina and her knight companions were sitting down to a meeting with Lady Octavia and a few other notable Saderan Ladies, Lady Agrippina among them. Under the mentoring of Lady Octavia, Agrippina's anger had been honed to a sharp edge, the woman being given a focus and clarity she had previously lacked after having been abandoned by her so recent spouse.

The casual observer might mistake the single red rose set on the table to be decorative in nature, perhaps symbolic of Pina's knightly order but it was a sign: This meeting was to be held in strictest confidence, _sub rosa_ , meaning 'beneath the rose'. To ensure that they were secure from eavesdroppers, at least _human_ ones, Octavia had Felicia and one of her battle sisters standing guard, ears alert for the slightest sound of intrusion or disturbance.

"You need not worry, your Highness," Octavia assured her. "Their clan are the most loyal retainers of my House."

"Of course, my Lady," Pina replied calmly. "And I appreciate you and your Ladies meeting with me so early. I do not know how long I will be staying here in Japan but before I return to the Empire I require the benefit of your wise counsel. It is no exaggeration to say the Empire faces the greatest danger in its history. I came here to find an avenue for securing peace before we are completely destroyed." Pina paused. "At the same time, I cannot sanction a peace which results in our annihilation by surrender and quiescence. I ask you to guide me."

Octavia nodded. "Very well, your Highness. Then I will be succinct as I say that your presence is a fortunate circumstance as with all respect, no other member of the Imperial Line enjoys your advantages of clear perspective and apolitical standing." She continued: "Your father will have a hard time ending this war having presided over its inception. The war faction in the Senate is strong and for the Emperor to seek peace without some tangible victory, some material gain for the Empire, he would lose face before the Senate."

"It will be necessary to sway at least some of the Senators of the War faction first," Pina concluded. "Many sons of Senators and prominent nobles may be held here. Their release might persuade their kinsmen to adopt a more favorable attitude."

"Perhaps," Octavia replied. "Though many of them may well be too stung in their pride to appreciate their good fortune. Still, we can hope," she agreed. "On the other hand, I must believe that your brother, Prince Zorzal, will strongly oppose any peace talks. It is known that the Prince has cultivated friends among the merchant guilds and many of the Senate's war faction. As the presumptive heir to the throne, he has been hard at work establishing his own power base and the core of his influence is built upon the continued aggressive expansion of the Empire and the acquisition of 'easy' riches."

"I will need to keep a low profile around him then." Pina agreed.

"And then there is Prince Diablo." Many noted Panache's jaw set hard at the mention of the younger Prince's name. Lady Octavia seemed not to notice as she continued.

"While Prince Diablo is certainly capable of reasoning the war is unwinnable, he is perhaps too clever for his own good. He is born to conspiracy. He publicly supported the expedition while privately making certain Prince Zorzal was denied a role in it. If he tries to manipulate the powers of this world we may find they do not play the game the same way."

Pina sighed. She could not deny Octavia's appraisal of the situation. Her father had taught one of her brothers to seize power and the other to manipulate it. One lacked the subtlety of their father while the other lacked the directness needed to command authority. He had divided them well and neither of them could gain the Imperial throne without his support and blessing. As for Pina, he had mostly left her to her own devices as she was not seen as a serious candidate to ascend to the throne.

Perhaps it was for the best that her lessons had been learned away from the attention of their father whom she loved but could not at this point confide in. But as daunting as her task seemed, what worried Pina the most was just exactly what price Japan and her allies would demand to secure peace. She trusted Itami and Taylor. She believed that General Hazama and Minister Shirayuri and Ambassador Russell were all honorable people but there were men like Hazama's aide who had a predatory look in his eyes. What would they take in exchange for peace?

As if sensing Pina's thoughts, Octavia turned to the other side of the equation. "As to the intentions and goals of the Japanese and Americans and their allies, It is certainly difficult to read the intentions of people whose ways are so different from our own. I will note this is why it was important for me to find an heir from among them. He will better understand many dangers we cannot conceive. It is my sincerest hope that in bringing him into My House, he will be vested in protecting it." She smiled, "however, it is still possible to consider their aims in the broader sense ourselves:

"If their design was simple conquest, which we cannot deny is well within their ability, then they would have no need to conduct any negotiations at all. In the scenario of a direct invasion, delay favors us and not them. It is safe to conclude that conquest is not their _intended_ aim. I must carefully add that they still can do so at any time they choose if negotiations fail to produce acceptable results for them."

Pina looked to Bozes, Panache, and Hamilton. Each of them carefully nodding in consideration of this. The logic was unassailable.

"They could still desire concessions of territory," Hamilton noted.

"Indeed. Though from what I have seen, their agriculture must be vastly superior to ours for them to be able to support cities like this one. They clearly have no need of our croplands. Now, of course, they might desire more room to spread out and expand. But from what you describe happened at Italica, it at least sounds as if they do not _currently_ desire our territory… beyond securing control of the Gate."

"The Gate is the key after all," Pina agreed. "With it in their hands, they control the board. I see no outcome where they do not insist on holding sacred Alnus and the ground immediately surrounding it. Even if they make no other claims, this will be bitter medicine for many but it is inevitable."

"True," Octavia agreed. "And I see no way to make the medicine go down any easier."

Pina pondered this. It would be preferable if this unpalatable matter could be allowed to quietly pass without comment as a fait accompli. But this was an unrealistic hope and everyone knew it. It might be best to state matters openly, better than the opposition bringing it up at the wrong moment. She put this matter aside to ponder later as Hamilton suggested another disturbing possibility.

"A city so large must take a great deal of labor to build. What if they intend to use the Empire as a source of slave labor?"

Pina's heart froze at the thought. Slavery had always been a part of the Empire. It was not something she particularly gave thought. She may have found slave dealers a generally loathsome lot and her older brother's association with them and the rumors of how he treated his slaves were disturbing but while a few eccentric nobles had denounced the practice in their lands, it was still the normal way of things. After all, the Empire frequently went to war to ensure a steady source of slaves. Funny how a shift in one's place in the scheme of things altered one's perspectives. Though the notion seemed incongruent to the behavior of Itami and Taylor and the Allied troops at Italica, her mind still began to imagine the sight of thousands of Imperial citizens in chains.

These thoughts were dismissed by Lady Octavia. "No. That won't happen. In fact, the cultures here view slavery as vile and uncivilized. The mere presence of slavery in the Empire will be offensive to them. More serious is that some of their citizens were sent back to the Empire as slaves in the first hours of our incursion into their territory. They will be absolutely furious where it comes to their own people being enslaved."

"We will have to discreetly inquire as to their whereabouts," Pina replied. "We need to prove at least a good faith effort to return their people."

"That would wise, your Highness," Octavia agreed.

'Yes. Unfortunately, we still don't know what they might want, what we can bargain with," Hamilton commented. "They asked for a reparations payment of more gold than has been mined in the entire history of the Empire and when we told them that, they seemed unconcerned. Almost as if they already have something else in mind.".

"Perhaps today's tour of the city will give us some clues," Pina replied.

A very short time later, with Chief Richardson driving, a bus with heavy tinted windows cleared the main gate. Richardson glanced back at his passengers with a grin as he keyed his radio. "Tourist Wagon to sentinels: We are on the move. On your cue."

A slightly accented voice answered him: " _Acknowledged Tourist Wagon. Commencing 'Hospitality', let's get you on the highway."_

"Roger that."

As the bus lumbered onto the main road, two sets of vehicles began following it, each in a rolling relay.

Hamilton cringed as their bus hit a pothole.

"There is at least one thing that the Empire can claim, your Highness. Imperial roads are certainly much better maintained," Hamilton noted drily.

"Asphalt," Taylor told them. "It's cheaper than concrete, quick to set but not nearly as durable." He smiled ruefully. "Even our concrete probably isn't as good as yours, since I'm betting you probably still use the old Roman recipe. Our concrete will last about fifty years. There are still sections of Roman roads still usable after two thousand. Still, we do have a few tricks up our sleeves."

"No doubt," Panache replied mildly.

With this event being put on with far less preparation time that anyone would have liked, the operation was, of necessity, rather free-form in nature. Ideally, the Foreign Ministry, in conjunction with Public Security, would have carefully planned out an itinerary. Security forces would have been deployed in advance but in this case, there had been literally no time to plan and whether the Foreign Ministry and the American State Department liked it or not, Lieutenants Itami and Taylor had by far the best rapport and understanding of their off-world guests. It was necessary to rely on these men to follow a set of hastily composed guidelines and to use discretion and provide a heads up to Public Security. Of course, this did mean that there were fewer parties who knew the planned movements of their guests. This was well as there were dangerous leaks of information which had still not been fully tracked.

The party followed a route passing the site of the new Tokyo World Trade Center South Tower, where their visitors could witness modern construction methods at work. Even for Lelei, Rory, and Tuka, who had witnessed at least a sample of modern building techniques in the building of Camp Alnus it was impressive. For Princess Pina and her party, it was nothing short of astonishing.

"Even the greatest towers in Sadera are nothing next to this," Pina breathed. Sitting next to her, Bozes nodded in shock.

Were their group smaller, perhaps, Itami might have considered splitting up but under the circumstances, it was best for everyone to stay in one location. Their first stop was the Junkudo Ikebukuro bookstore It was here that Risa helped Pina and Bozes discover walls filled with Manga. It was as Risa began to discuss the Yaoi titles that were her bread and butter that Pina noted an interesting phenomenon as Tomita, who had originally agreed to assist them in a search for 'art', seemed to look embarrassed and get very quiet as if trying to quietly fade from sight.

 _Hmmm… I wonder if Itami or Taylor will react the same way? Perhaps I could ask Sergeant Kuribayashi? Or maybe I should simply experiment for myself?_ Looking around, she spotted her target. "Ah! Itami!"

In the meantime, with assistance from Shino, Lelei quickly found the science section. Books on astronomy, physics, and chemistry were eagerly seized by the young mage. Rory was fascinated by books on the various mythologies of this world, while Tuka found books on zoology, as well as collections of poetry and songs and even cooking. At the same time, Taylor, Panache, and Hamilton were on the floor where books printed in English were. Taylor looking for books on government and history, especially histories covering Rome and on England in the fourteenth, fifteenth, and sixteenth centuries. All told, the group purchased some seventy books of various types and not including Pina making a virtual clean sweep of the yaoi manga. Fortunately, the Japanese government was picking up the tab for everything but some personal purchases by Itami, Taylor, Shino, and Tomita. The cashier had an understandably pleased expression as she rang up the group's purchases.

After a tour of the Tsukiji market, a break for lunch was in order. Of course, this was also an opportunity to demonstrate the full scope of Japan's Capital with a visit to Skytree tower, dining with a full panoramic view of the city below stretching to the horizon.

Even Rory was struck by the view before she grinned. "Hardy would never dare to come here, so near the heavens!"

Pina nodded. "This is… They truly are giants," she breathed. "They can raise us up or crush us underfoot." Briefly, she imagined such a tower rising above Sadera. The wealth and prosperity she saw here she wanted for her people but her people could not simply take it. They would have to earn this.

"The Musashi?" Taylor asked, looking around the restaurant and the very expensive looking fittings. "How did you manage to get a group this size into the Musashi with no reservation?"

Itami looked a little embarrassed. "I know someone who has that kind of pull."

"Well, I'm impressed. Glad you're learning to use your powers for good."

Of course, Shino took it upon herself to organize the seating with a little input from Bozes. This left Itami sitting between Rory and Tuka with Lelei directly facing him and Risa and Shino in a good position to watch his discomfort while Pina sat with Bozes on her left and Hamilton across from her and Panache next to Hamilton. Shino smirked as Taylor pulled out Lady Panache's seat before taking his own beside her, an act matched by Tomita as he 'coincidentally' found himself next to Bozes.

If the ramen shop Itami had taken them to the previous day had been a sampling of common but hearty food, the Musashi was an experience in high-end Japanese-French Fusion cuisine, an epicurean experience unmatched even in Emperor Molt's palace.

Light conversation accompanied the food and the stunning view. Afterward came fashion shopping. Unlike the hurried shopping to prepare Tuka for her testimony before the Diet, this was a broader cultural sampling with Risa and Kuribayashi as primary guides for their guests and Itami, Tomita, and Taylor a captive audience. At one point, even Kuribayashi finding herself slightly embarrassed if very smugly pleased as Panache quietly took her aside to ask for help with _intimate_ fashion, the results of their consultation were not readily revealed, though some purchases had apparently been made, Panache still being rather puzzled by what she saw but trusting Shino's judgement in the matter.

Next, the group headed for Akihabara. Among the purchases, Lelei and Hamilton each found heavy duty laptops with solar charging cells. Lelei, fascinated with having a world of knowledge literally at her fingertips and Hamilton seeing the potential for organizing and storing data in a small and secure place. It was during this time that Itami was informed that decoy bus had been ambushed near Tokyo Tower.

Pina's face paled at this news, her companions closing around her protectively, Tuka looking to Itami for reassurance while Lelei considered and Rory prepared for a possible fight. Shino instinctively scanning for threats.

"What happened?" Taylor asked.

"Some injuries on our side, Several hostiles killed, five in custody," Itami answered. "Also our trip to Hakone has been canceled due to unacceptable security risks on site," Itami replied.

"Well…" Taylor considered, "I guess it's time to call it a day."

As they drove back to Yokosuka, Pina asked the question that everyone wanted to be answered:

"Why? We come under a flag of peace to make peace! Who would want to attack us?"

"I don't know," Itami admitted.

Taylor considered carefully. "As I see it, there are two groups of people out there who would want something to happen: Most obvious are people who lost loved ones in the attack on Ginza and just want to lash out against _somebody_ for their pain. These people are a very sympathetic cause to get people who ought to know better to talk about things they maybe shouldn't but usually don't have the reach that this sort of thing requires. Someone had access to both information and assets to act on it in a timely fashion."

Pina nodded. She could understand the anger and grief that might drive someone to wish them harm and she could hold no ill will toward them… But this other party…

"Why though? If not revenge, then what?"

"To embarrass the current Japanese and/or American government in a major public fashion. After Tuka, Lelei, and Rory's testimony before the Diet, they've become celebrities in the popular press. And if the current American and Japanese governments failed to protect them? Imagine if your father invited a ruler from another land to be his guest in Sadera and something happened to that person."

"It would publicly humiliate my father."

"And weaken him politically?"

Pina nodded. "Yes."

"There you have it. I don't know what the interrogators and investigators will find but my guess is that all of you were made targets of opportunity in someone else's power play."

"I don't like the sound of that," Pina replied.

"Neither do we, Princess!" Bozes replied, Panache and Hamilton nodding in agreement. "Whoever has made a target and pawn of you have made an enemy this day! The Order has a long memory and we will not forget either a friend or an enemy!"

Panache growled. "Let them pray to whatever gods they hold that we never find them! Our steel will be drawn upon their flesh!"

Rory nodded with a cold smile. "A blood oath is given then."

Itami and Taylor both felt relief these words were not directed at either of them. Soon they returned to Yokosuka. Chief Richardson and his group were waiting for them. The chief waving away the corpsman checking him over.

"Welcome back LT! Have a nice trip, sir?"

Taylor looked at the group of mostly female Marines standing around next to their rather dented bus. "A lot more peaceful than yours, Chief." He pointed at the sizeable dent on the vehicle's starboard side. "What happened?" Taylor asked for everyone in his group to hear.

"Cement truck rammed us, forced us into a concrete barrier. Then they tried storming the bus! Shit! Being tased sucks, LT! Don't misunderstand me, sir. Great to have kevlar armor, but it doesn't cover everything and they tased me right under the armpit! And then all hell breaks loose as this big guy, must have been six eight and built like a brick house, he tried reaching for our resident priestess of death." He nodded at Corporal Nakamura, who smirked with satisfaction, "and she kicked him in the throat! Broke the hyoid, and then the guy behind him got a nine-millimeter lobotomy. They probably thought that securing the bus was going to be the easy part!"

Rory gave a considering look to Nakamura. "Oh?"

"Nakamura! Front and center!" Richardson called out.

Corporal Nakamura, called 'Buns' by her squad mates, stepped forward still wearing Rory's spare outfit. She saluted Lieutenant Taylor and then turned to Rory. To the casual observer, Rory and Nakamura were virtually indistinguishable.

"Sorry for the blood stains on your outfit, your eminence. I'll make sure to clean it before I return it."

Rory smiled. "No need to concern yourself. Emroy is pleased with your work this day." It truly was a shame she could not claim her own apostles yet. Both this girl and Kuribayashi would have been excellent candidates, Rory thought. "You may keep it as a token of Emroy's favor."

Nakamura bowed and thew a wicked grin at Chief Richardson, who had been teasing her lightly before they left.

 _Great, she's now literally the Herald of Death. Just what this base needs… another Marine with a swelled head._ Richardson thought sourly. "Anyway, LT, Public Security took the survivors into custody." He chanced a glance over at Panache before looking back to his lieutenant. "By the way, I checked when we got in. The kid's here. His flight arrived around mid-morning."

"Outstanding! Well, Senior Chief I'm sure mother has someone showing him around. _And a fairly good idea who at that._ So better get somebody to track him down." He looked over at Nakamura as he caught the wicked gleam in the Chief's eye. "Preferably someone who isn't a dead ringer for the Angel of Death."

"Right sir" Richardson agreed. "Locke!" He called to the tall blonde woman who had been Tuka's decoy. Unlike most of Richardson's group, Locke wasn't a Marine. The yeoman had been chosen simply because there was no one else closer to Tuka's complexion and build. Still, she had comported herself well and the Chief would have no problem filling out the paperwork to make sure that his kids all received proper credit and recognition for their performance.

"Yes, Senior Chief?"

"Go find Miss Lucilla and see if she knows where our newest guest is. Get him over to the common room. We'll be there shortly, so get the lead out!"

"Yes, Senior Chief!" Locke double-timed it into the main building,

Taylor turned to Princess Pina. "I'm told they are just taking care of a last-minute surprise. Everything should be ready now though..."


	25. Chapter 18: From There To Here And Back

Nearly three months of banging my head against a blank screen but finally we're back! And it's time to get out of Tokyo. That said, we continue with our story...

 **The Janus Campaign**

 **Chapter 18: From There to Here And Back Again**

"Tiberius!" Panache exclaimed in surprise and pure elation as she saw her brother walk into the room, escorted by Lady Lucilla.

"Panache!" The young teen's face lit in joy and astonishment before also recognizing the Imperial Princess. Tiberius knelt before them. "Forgive me, your Highness."

"There is nothing to forgive," Pina replied mildly. "It speaks well of the bond between the two of you. Stand and join us! I am sure you have many tales to tell us of your experiences in this new world."

"Ah... Yes, your Highness!" His face flushed crimson as he warred within himself, trying to present himself with control and dignity as he stood before his Princess. It had been safe to admire her and her beauty from a respectable distance but personally face to face with her and in front of his sister and several of the Empire's most renown Ladies, Tiberius had a sinking feeling he was only managing to look like a fool.

It was Lady Lucilla who came to his rescue. "Forgive me, your Highness and noble Ladies, I believe that My Lord is still much fatigued from his journey." She touched his elbow "Come you should take some refreshment!" Lucilla told Tiberius, guiding him over to a long table set with drink and hor d' oeuvres. "If her Highness and Ladies would follow me?"

Pina barely suppressed a smirk at this as the young man was led away. Panache was less successful and thanked the gods that her brother's attention was now fully centered on the raven-haired young lady holding his arm.

 _Well, father! It would seem Tiberius is managing quite well without your help! He's been found by a smart girl who looks like she knows a prize when she sees it!_

* * *

"I trust your tour went well, Your Highness?" Colonel Mihara asked solicitously as she and Lady Octavia greeted Pina and the others.

"Yes, it was very interesting," Pina answered. "It also underscores that I need to return home at the earliest practicable time so as to start work on bringing a conclusion to this war."

"Of course, your Highness," Mihara replied and paused. "I would like to discuss a request from my Government if it is convenient?"

Pina nodded. "Of course, after supper, I will be holding council with my aides and leading ladies. Join us and we can discuss it then. If that is acceptable?"

"Perfectly, Your Highness." Mihara agreed. This would also provide Mihara the opportunity to inform Her Highness of other, somewhat disturbing news.

Indeed, hours later, Pina Co Lada was quite disturbed and yelling loudly indeed.

 ** _"WHAT?"_** Pina slammed her palms down on the table as she rose in anger.

Colonel Mihara calmly regarded Pina's look of absolute fury and waited a moment as it washed past before repeating the news. "Whether by design as part of a campaign of scorched earth or the fallout of the destruction of the Imperial and Allied armies at Alnus, a number of settlements between Alnus and Sadera have been completely destroyed. Our people have had encounters with apparent Imperial units in several villages and have also encountered refugees from destroyed villages and settlements. We, of course, will do our best to provide relief for any refugees that find their way to Alnus." She carefully refrained from mentioning that while manageable for now, Janus Command was concerned about increasing strain on their logistical tether. In response, patrols had been stepped up but it was only a first step. Mihara studied Her Highness as Pina frowned and considered the situation. The threat of roving bands of brigands, even some formerly Imperial troops turned to looting and plundering was bad enough as she had learned at Italica but the thought that this might be part of a deliberate policy by her father chilled her.

 _Damn it, Father! These people aren't like any army the Empire has ever faced! They don't need our food or our wells. They can probably strike Sadera any time they choose! We only make enemies of our own people!_ Odd that only a few months ago, she would have seen her father's strategy as eminently sensible. And how narrow her own vision had been! Strange how one of the first things she saw upon having her eyes opened was how completely blind she had been. Silently, she prayed that this had not been her father's will but she could not dismiss the thought either. Though she loved her father dearly, she knew he could be extremely ruthless if he had to be.

Some of the Saderan Noble Ladies in attendance responded to the news with clearly horrified looks. They had lands in that region and these were certainly under possible threat. Lady Octavia herself remained impassive despite the fact that both her husband's lands and the estate of her late father lay in this area. There was nothing to be done for it, they would be spared or not, though she would ask her son if he could at least check on them and make sure their people were safe.

Pina frowned. It did not matter so much who was responsible. Only that she had a duty to act. She turned to her Knight Commanders. "Lady Panache! When we return to Italica, The Company of the White Rose will remain there with our foot. I will want mounted patrols of the main roads and of the local villages and estates. Under my own authority as Princess of the Imperial Line, all local garrisons will be at your disposal to protect these villages and lands. Anyone caught looting will be put to the sword. I will also leave you half of the company of the Red Rose. The remainder along with the company of the Yellow Rose will accompany me back to Sadera."

"Yes, your Highness!" Panache answered. "But what if we encounter Imperial troops under orders from His Imperial Majesty?" Panache echoing Pina's own concerns.

Pina smiled wryly. "In theory, in that event, you would have no choice but to stand down. However, even if my father gave an order to burn any such villages and estates, father would never actually _sign_ such an order. He's not about to make unneeded enemies in the Senate or among the merchant guilds by pinning his name to possibly destroying their lands or goods and profits. Therefore, in the absence of a signed order from The Emperor himself, you will have _my_ signed orders to request compliance from all Imperial forces and to prevent brigands, pirates, or marauders of any sort from doing harm to Imperial lives and property."

"Yes Princess," Panache replied as a swelling of pride for her Princess and the Order filled her heart.

Pina then turned to the Representative of the Allied forces among them: "Colonel Mihara? In accordance with the Italica agreement, I humbly request aid and support in protecting and securing the well being of the city of Italica and its surrounding area..."

Over the next few hours, plans were offered, considered, and revised as they discussed the particulars of the repatriation of Saderan civilians, the protection of Italica and the surrounding region under the Italica agreement and other assorted matters.

Despite an unofficial request from the Japanese Foreign Ministry, Princess Pina decided that she could not join Tuka, Lelei, and Rory Mercury in a flower-laying ceremony at the memorial for those killed during the invasion of Tokyo. There was a small but quantifiable risk that if her father or others learned of this in the current political climate in Sadera, she could be declared a traitor and possibly even face execution. If the negotiations bore fruit, then she would certainly wish to return and honor those fallen. Hopefully, it would show the people of this world a more positive face for the Empire.  
 _We need all the goodwill we can get,_ Pina thought sourly.

* * *

The following morning, Itami and Taylor were summoned to Colonel Mihara's office.

"You gentlemen have new orders," she told them. "Lieutenant Itami, Third Recon will join Her Imperial Highness and escort Ambassador Russell and Mister Sugawara to Italica. From there, the Princess and her retainers will discreetly escort our diplomats the rest of the way to Sadera where Princess Pina has graciously offered her personal palace and estate to house our diplomatic mission." Japanese Public Security personnel, as well as Department of State Security agents and a Marine security team, would be sent in unobtrusively as soon as practicable. This detail had been a point of debate between Japanese and American officials. The Japanese had wanted to be less conspicuous with the presence of their security detail in the Imperial Capital. The American government decided, however, that a proper security detachment was non-negotiable. While no one wished to be so blatant as to endanger Princess Pina's survival in either the literal or political sense, hard experience dictated that appropriate security measures would be taken.

"Vice Minister Shirayuri will arrive sometime after that point." Mihara then turned to Taylor."Lieutenant Taylor, Her Imperial Highness has given permission for a scientific mission to set up in Italica. As you have established a good rapport with Princess Pina and her senior commanders, particularly Lady Panache, who will be Her Highness's representative in Italica, you will accompany the rest of Third Recon to Italica and then act as our liaison once the science team arrives." She smiled lightly. "And, as many of the Saderan non-combatants will be returning to the Empire, I will be assigning Senior Chief Richardson and a few experienced hands to assist you. Also, as Princess Pina's knights will be expanding their patrols in the area, Her Highness has agreed that a platoon of Marines should be stationed in Italica to assist in the local defenses."

"Yes, ma'am."

"Dismissed."

* * *

"Are you certain you won't come back with us?" Panache asked her brother finally as Princess Pina's Party and the first group of Saderan Repatriates made ready to leave for the Gate.

Tiberius shook his head as he gave his sister a small smile. "I don't think that's a good idea. Father wouldn't understand. Not yet anyway." He turned to look at Lucilla, who squeezed his hand. "Besides, this is where I need to be right now." He handed a letter to Panache. "Could you make sure mother gets this?"

"I will take care of it personally," Panache promised.

"Thank you. Tell mother I love her?"

"Of course."

"Be safe," Tiberius told her.

"I'll do my best."

In the meantime, as her daughter looked after Tiberius, Lady Octavia discussed last minute details with her son.

"I've marked the locations of the major estates on this map, If you could at least inquire about them, it would be very helpful for those contemplating a return to the Empire. As Lady Agrippina's estate lies to the South and East of Alnus, it is likely undamaged and therefore Lady Agrippina will be returning to the Empire today. I entrust her safe passage into your care."

The fair-skinned noblewoman brushed a lock of honey blonde hair from her face and bowed her head deferentially. "My Lord."

Taylor returned the gesture. "My Lady." There was a twinkle of anticipation in Agrippina's eyes and Taylor was happy that he was not the object of the woman's thoughts as she prepared to return to her lands. Lady Octavia had taken a proud woman broken less by capture and more by betrayal and reforged her with cold purpose and now the hour of her retribution drew near.

"Also," Octavia gestured to one of her house retainers. A warrior bunny with a light cream coat and wheat blonde hair stepped forward. Taylor recognized her as Aurelia. "I have discussed this with your commanders. As my heir, Aurelia will accompany you henceforth. I am certain you will find her useful." She addressed the warrior Bunny with a smile. "Obey him as you would me. We leave our heir in your care."

Aurelia bowed, "As you will, My Lady." A touch of pride and satisfaction showing in her voice. She turned to Taylor. "As you will, My Lord," she said with pride as Octavia put a hand up to cover her smirk.

Taylor shook his head and glanced over at Chief Richardson. "Are we ready to roll Chief?"

"That we are sir!"

Taylor looked at Itami and Princess Pina. "Your Highness, Shall we go home?"


	26. Just Another Day

**The Janus Campaign**

 **Just Another Day**

Following Princess Pina's instructions, Vermouth and Millet, Knights of the Rose Order, remained at Alnus Hill while their companions, Zivana and Merisa had returned to Italica to keep Vifita, apprised of the current situation. As Pina had instructed them to learn all they could, Vermouth and Millet each carefully observed the goings on around them. With their access sensibly enough restricted, the two stayed around the base corral and the facilities of the 407th Combat Support Hospital for the most part, although the pair _had_ visited the growing refugee community nearby. It was becoming less a gathering of refugees and more an actual town. The invaders encouraged the refugees to take up their old crafts if possible and had managed to convince a few of the local farms to do business with Alnus. Not by threat, but by the offer of a new market where their crops and livestock fetched good prices, paid either in Imperial coin or in paper scrip as the farmers chose. Much of the Imperial coin was confiscated from the pay chests of the legions shattered in the battles at Alnus but interestingly, most of the new businesses in Alnus Town and even a few of the farmers seemed to prefer the scrip issued by the Pacific Allies.

A constabulary made up of locals had been established and even included non-humans in its ranks. Many of these were auxiliaries pressed into service of either the Imperial Army or one of its vassal states. These individuals felt neither love nor loyalty to the Empire and the chance to start anew without the Imperial yoke had been quite appealing to them. And here they lived in relative harmony with men and women, supposedly subjects of the Empire but whose true loyalties had been to their own communities which were no more, and their families, who were here, enjoying a life of comforts unknown in Sadera and security backed up by the "Men in Green."

To encourage trade, the outworlders had opened a store they called a 'PX' or exchange and staffed it with locals who were paid quite handsomely. The array of goods varied from clothing of design and fabrics unheard of in the Empire to metal cooking wares and luxuries like those oh so wonderful bars called 'chocolate', although these tended to be too sweet for more than a small taste for Vermouth's liking.

The day after Princess Pina departed for Tokyo, Colonel Potter invited Vermouth and Millet to a meeting of senior personnel and selected staff. In this case, Henry Blake, Major Houlihan, Captains Pierce, McIntyre, Newsome, and Hunnicutt as well as Father Mulcahy, Radar O'Reilly, Koire, and Parna as well as a bespectacled staff sergeant wearing the insignia of the Veterinary Corps and a Marine wearing the silver bars of a first lieutenant.

"Before we begin, allow me to introduce Lieutenant Jones and Staff Sergeant Panetti. Now, I need people for a couple of details I need to send out. The first one is to go to Alnus Town. As you know, the engineers have built a flour mill for the local residents. We're trying to encourage greater self-sufficiency and a working economy, plus as long as proper sanitation is met, then the local bread might better than what we get back home since all the nutrients aren't processed into oblivion. A few of the natives are setting up bakeries and food stalls and such but they won't be allowed to sell to our people until they pass a basic health and sanitation inspection. Radar?"

"Yes, Colonel?"

"Have you any thought to what we discussed yesterday?"

"Yes, sir. I went over to supply and got a bunch of Charlie flags. We can post them on establishments that pass inspection." Charlie being signal shorthand for 'Yes' or 'affirmative', it would be a sign that did not require translating into English, Japanese, Popularii or any of the other multitude of applicable languages.

"Good thinking Radar. By the way, those sergeant stripes look good on you son. They've been long overdue."

Radar glanced down at his new stripes. He wasn't quite used to them yet. "Thank you, sir."

For her part, Parna was practically preening over Radar's promotion. Somehow, his success felt like hers.

In the meantime, Colonel Potter continued with the matters at hand. "Sergeant Panetti will conduct the food safety inspections in Alnus and in conjunction, I need one team to conduct some basic health screenings and make sure that everyone is up to speed on hygiene practices. Remind them if they feel sick, to come to see us. We don't want them just going on business as usual."

Hawkeye looked over at Sergeant Panetti. So you're the guy who handles food inspections? You know, we've got one of your 'Ten Most Wanted' working in the mess hall right this minute. I don't suppose you have the power to arrest the cook, do you?"

"For assault with a deadly entree," Trapper John added.

Colonel Potter merely rolled his eyes and continued. "The other bunch is going to go out to some of the local villages and extend the hand of a good neighbor. Do a little trust-building As a precaution, Lieutenant Jones and a few of his Marines will accompany them. Lieutenant?" Potter invited.

"My men and I have reconnoitered some of these villages. The residents are friendly enough but the countryside is a bit lawless with bandits. A lot of them are survivors and deserters from the armies that we fought."

"Who did you have in mind for the two teams, Colonel?" Henry Blake asked.

"We'll need one doctor and one nurse on each detail along with two corpsmen. I'll want Koire to go with the detail going into Alnus Town and Parna, you'll go with the other detail. As for Doctors, I, have a staff meeting with General Hazama I need to attend. That means I'll need to leave you in charge here, Henry."

"Yes, sir." Henry sounded just a little disappointed. Not only did he need a few hours away but he hated trying to deal with both Frank Burns' flakiness and Winchester's imperiousness.

Potter gave him an apologetic look. "Sorry Henry, When I get back, you can have a couple of days in Tokyo."

"Thank you, sir!" Henry perked up. A couple of days back in the real world, actually be able to call home and talk to his wife, then find a Japanese Steakhouse, a cold beer and a hot sake and a soft bed might as well be a trip to paradise.

"You might want to stay clear of Sumida, Henry," Hawkeye suggested. "I don't think the police have forgiven Trapper and me for aggressive passing in a no passing zone last month."

"I suppose you two were drunk and speeding too?" Henry groaned.

"Absolutely not! We were completely sober! We simply flagged down a traffic cop so we could get directions to the Asahi Beer Hall."

"It was only after they got out that Hawkeye started going a little too fast." Trapper put in.

"Can you blame me? She was gorgeous and her partner wasn't half bad either."

"That would be why I got a complaint from the Captain of the Bokotou Police Station." Colonel Potter glared at the two of them. "In the meantime, the doctors we send out will need to be both capable and approachable, doctors who will put the right face on us to the local public. So, Captain Newsome will go into Alnus and BJ will go make the rounds on the villages of Sybaris and Affpuddle."

"Affpuddle?" Hawkeye smirked, looking at Hunnicutt. "Better bring your galoshes."

Potter gave Pierce a look. "Anyway, Margaret?"

Houlihan nodded. "Nurse Cutler will go to Alnus, I'll accompany Captain Hunnicutt myself."

"Good," Potter nodded.

"Colonel?" Father Mulcahy asked.

"Yes, Padre?"

"I'd like to go visit the local villages myself if you'll allow it."

Potter considered it for a moment. With long hours conversing with Saderan patients helping Mulcahy adapt his abilities in Latin to speaking the native Popularii, Mulcahy could be a considerably useful asset. "Alright, but if those marines tell you to hit the deck, you do it, Padre. That goes for all of you."

"Yes, sir. Thank you, Colonel!" Mulcahy answered.

"Yes, sir," Hunnicutt replied seriously.

"Good, now as for the rest, O'Donnell and Conway will go to Alnus and Radar, you and Klinger will join Captain Hunnicutt's team."

"Yes, Colonel." Radar looked up reassuringly at Parna as this was her first trip off base since they had found her.

Then Potter addressed the two young knights in their midst. "As I said, you two ladies are welcome to join the party. See how we do things."

Vermouth paused but a moment. "Millet, you will go to Alnus Town. I will accompany Major Houlihan and Captain Hunnicutt."

"Alright then ladies, get saddled up then, they'll be leaving in an hour."

* * *

 **Village of Sybaris**

Before leaving Alnus, Captain Hunnicutt's group was joined by a team from the Army Corps of Engineers, led by Lieutenant Strickland. His task was to make a basic survey of the villages. Ostensibly, his team was to see what services the Allied forces could offer to their neighbors but also,` the higher ups were considering detailing squads to protect villages that chose to trade with them. It was believed that a small force would be adequate to handle most situations and in any case, support would only be a radio call away.

Of course, it was imperative that the locals had to actively agree to this. Every other major nation on Earth was carefully watching the Pacific Forces, looking for any openings or mistakes to exploit in the court of international opinion. Further, public opinion in Japan, The United States, and in other member nations, while currently supportive, could turn without warning. The testimony of Rory Mercury, Tuka Luna Marceau, and Lelei la Lelena before the Diet was helping in terms of maintaining general public support for the expedition but the battle of public relations was a constant struggle unless you lost.

From Vermouth's perspective, it was certainly the oddest 'invasion' she had ever heard of. Diligently, she began recording her observations in a notebook thoughtfully provided by Sergeant O'Reilly. It was odd that even the paper these people used had a different character to it. As she wrote her name, Radar glanced over in curiosity.

 ** _Vermouþ Du Idryis, Dauȝter of Count Idryis._**

"Pardon my saying, ma'am but I don't think I've ever seen writing like that."

Vermouth looked up equally curious. To her understanding, the young Sergeant was equivalent to a scribe, a position of learning. In a way, he reminded her of a calmer version of Hamilton.

Captain Hunnicutt shook his head. "Now, now Radar. It's never polite to read a ladies private thoughts." He gently admonished.

"Oh! Nothing like that, I assure you both." Vermouth dismissed mildly. "What seems so unusual to you?"

"Well, you've got a 'b' with a little tail on it and what's with the '3' here?" Radar pointed to the fourth word.

BJ chuckled. "Well, Radar, those are actually letters of the alphabet we don't use anymore. If I remember my language arts courses, that 'b' with the tail is called 'thorn' it's just a 'th' sound. The other one is called a 'yogh'. It's a rough 'gh'. We don't use that sound much except when we're speaking 'Klingon'."

Radar frowned. "Oh! No. How am I going to get my paperwork done now? I'm gonna have to get a new keyboard."

For her part, Vermouth made a mental note to find out about this 'Klingon'.

In the meantime, Lieutenant Jones finished conversing with the village mayor and guided the bemused old man over to the small convoy of iron carriages. Although the presence of both an Imperial knight and a Warrior Bunny did initially create just the slightest confusion for the locals, introductions proceeded fairly smoothly and with permissions given, Strickland's survey team got to work mapping out the village and its environs.

After some initial hesitation, a few of the locals finally came forward for medical attention. With Radar and Klinger and even Father Mulcahy fetching supplies from their Hummer and Parna assisting in translation, Captain Hunnicutt and Major Houlihan began to tend a few of the residents. It was not the same as the long shifts they had endured in surgery after the fierce battles but there was something about treating the normal injuries and maladies of an ordinary life.

Their last patient of the day was a young woman who was expecting her first child. Her husband being fraught with worry.

"I begged her to entreat the blessings of Miritta before we were married but Cara refused. She was afraid my feelings for her would change. I swear it's not true!"

"Miritta?" Father Mulcahy asked in a tone that was a mix of concern and curiosity.

"Miritta is the Goddess of Fertility. She is supposed to protect expectant mothers," Parna explained, translating into English. "But this protection comes at a price. Her followers are expected to either serve as prostitutes in brothels run by her priestesses or a couple may make a tithing instead." Parna scowled. "Of course, Miritta's priestesses favor _human_ followers.

"Good Heavens!" Father Mulcahy exclaimed.

"Don't sound so surprised, Father," Hunnicutt told him. "It seems Miritta's interest is in spreading _certain_ seed as widely as possible as it were."

"It's barbaric!" Margaret objected.

"Margaret, your judgments are showing," BJ said mildly. While privately he agreed with the Major, It was not their place to value judge the local cultures or belief systems.

"My apologies, Doctor." Intellectually, Margaret knew BJ was right. They would not be able to establish trust and a working relationship with these people by condemning their beliefs And they could not help people like Cara and her husband without their trust and cooperation. Still, it rankled the Major to no end.

Captain Hunnicutt looked at the couple with a gentle smile. "I've never confused myself for a god but I think we can help. Cara? If you'll allow it, Major Houlihan and I are going to give you a brief examination and then we'll see if we can find out anything about how the baby is doing." BJ paused as Parna translated this.

"I won't have to give myself to Miritta's will?" The young woman asked in surprised relief.

Once Parna finished translating, BJ shook his head. "We have a different union. Father?" He gestured to Mulcahy. "Would you take this young man outside while we take a look at this young lady?"

"Of course, BJ." Mulcahy gently led Cara's husband out of the room.

"Don't worry, my son. Cara is in very capable hands. Now … Why don't you tell me about Miritta and the other gods? I've met the Apostle of Emroy. A very intimidating presence, I must say. But I would like to know more. If you wouldn't mind?"

With the young man and Mulcahy outside, BJ and Houlihan set to work. A while later, BJ stepped outside and gestured to Cara's husband.

"Come on in. Cara's been listening to something you might want to hear," Hunnicutt announced with a broad smile.

The young man stepped inside to see his wife propped up comfortably as Hunnicutt placed the chest piece of his stethoscope to Cara's belly and nodded in satisfaction as he then slipped the earpieces into the young man's ears.

"Hear that? That's the heartbeat of a strong, healthy baby. I'll drop by every once in a while to make sure everything progresses smoothly but it looks to me like, in about three months, you'll be having a healthy baby. Come on Margaret, let's give these two some time alone."

Some days made everything else all worthwhile.


	27. Chapter 19: Crossroads

It took a little while but now we return to Alnus.

Thanks again to all my readers and especially my commenters.

Read, Review, and Enjoy!

 **The Janus Campaign**

 **Chapter 19: Crossroads**

Compared to the party which had accompanied her to Tokyo, the procession which now joined the Imperial Princess back through the Gate was a veritable triumph. In a way, there was as much truth as irony in that statement, for in coming to Tokyo, Pina Co Lada had secured more of a victory than the combined armies of the Empire and its allies had been able to manage.

In all, some five hundred Imperial citizens had elected to be repatriated in this first group. Some of these intended to remain at the Alnus settlement but most would continue on to Italica and then to their respective homes across the Empire. Joining them would be the first contingent of the Janus Academic Mission: A collection of scientists and scholars ranging from geologists to sociologists, linguists to zoologists, and astronomers to historians. Trucks filled with equipment and supplies and with military assigned drivers joined the column of horses and wagons that proceeded through the gate.

"And most of this mess is now my responsibility." William Taylor sighed, scowling as Itami laughed.

"How do you figure?"

"Simple: After escorting the Lady Agrippina home and hoping she doesn't find her spouse dwelling within, I take up residence as liaison in Italica. I get to make sure the science jockeys heading there are taken care of and kept happy, while at the same time making sure they don't over-step their bounds and create an incident of some sort. At the same time, as Pina's knights will be conducting patrols out of Italica, I have to make sure that Lady Panache and our people are on the same page so there isn't another incident like what happened to us."

"You're the best person for the job," Itami replied nonchalantly.

"I highly doubt it."

"Better you than me anyway," Itami countered. "Too much responsibility."

"I hate you," Taylor replied.

At least he wasn't _entirely_ alone in his new posting, he reflected. With the first reduction in the population of detainees in her care, Colonel Mihara had reassigned Senior Chief Richardson and a number of other personnel to Italica with Taylor. This included Corporal Nakamura, who had been only half-jokingly dubbed the 'Disciple of Death' by her squadmates. What particularly disturbed Taylor about this is that Nakamura had reported to him hefting her own naginata, at which time she confirmed her status as a practitioner of naginatajutsu.

Of course, this didn't account for Aurelia. The Warrior Bunny was fast becoming a more constant companion than Taylor's own shadow. Fortunately, she was quick to grasp the boundaries required by operational security even if her understanding of personal boundaries was a bit different from Taylor's…

* * *

"She's _what_?" Colonel Mihara asked in surprise as she and Lady Octavia watched the convoy get underway.

Octavia smiled wryly. "I said that Aurelia is my husband's oldest daughter, born to Videlia, my husband's favorite concubine."

"I imagine that would be awkward," Mihara told her.

"Only in that as non-humans, Videlia, and Aurelia not allowed the rights of marriage as recognized under Imperial Law. Under those same laws, Aurelia cannot claim any rights of inheritance from Germanicus. The irony is not lost on me that I can adopt a foreigner and since he is human, he can inherit my father's titles but because of her heritage, Aurelia is denied the same rights."

"And I'm suspecting that you had something very specific in mind when you assigned Aurelia to be Taylor's minder," Mihara replied.

"Of course!" Octavia admitted. "While I understand your culture has a different view on such things, The title of 'concubine' is not a dirty word in our society. Were something to develop between them, I would be quite happy."

"It was my impression that you were hoping something would spark between Mister Taylor and Lady Panache?"

"I still am! I've noticed how they've been looking at each other when they didn't think anyone was watching. And their marriage would cement him in the upper reaches of our society. Panache's mother is a good and sensible woman, so I expect she too would quickly see the advantages of such a union. Even if the light in her daughter's eyes wasn't more than enough," Octavia answered.

"But in our culture, the two situations would not be viewed as mutually excluding. My husband has been with Videlia almost as long as he has been with me. We all understand each other quite well and there have been days when even the great soldier has found himself outnumbered and outmaneuvered. It is for them to choose. If my son finds himself with both of those very strong-willed young women at his side, I will be happy for him. If he chooses either of them, I will still be happy for him, and if he ends up with neither of them, I will simply hope that he finds the happiness he seeks. These things will resolve themselves as they should. Even an arch-plotter such as myself can only nudge the course of such things."

"I think if any such situation arises, it would be best kept on the other side of the Gate. The details of such best not discussed." Mihara replied drily.

"I suppose you are correct," Octavia agreed. "Though I must admit, that for such an advanced culture, your people could probably stand to loosen up a little." She smirked at the Colonel.

"I suppose that includes me as well, My lady?" Mihara asked mildly.

"Perhaps just a little. If I get back to the Empire, there's a wonderful little place I would like to take you, where the masseuses are all Vulpins," she said only half teasing. "They really know how to work the stress out."

* * *

Somewhere in the void between worlds, as the convoy transitted the Gate, William Taylor Octavus shivered.

"Is something wrong, my lord?" Aurelia asked, immediately noticing his discomfort.

"I don't know," he admitted. "To be honest, I'm not sure I want to know. Don't worry about it," he told her.

"Yes, my lord," Aurelia answered, venturing a small smile. When Lady Octavia had informed her that she would be accompanying the heir back to their homelands, Octavia had explained everything that was expected of her but also that this was an opportunity, that she hoped Aurelia would know the feelings that Octavia and Aurelia's mother shared for her father.

 _Just be open to your possibilities_ , Octavia had told her.

Soon transit was completed. While Her Imperial Highness was understandably anxious to hurry on to Italica, she needed to gather up Millet and Vermouth, her knights in residence, and debrief them before becoming acquainted with the horses Panache had selected for the return trip. In the meantime, Lieutenant Yanagida was waiting for them with instructions to escort the diplomatic party to General Hazama's office.

For his part, Taylor reported in to Colonel Emerson before going down to the settlement camp to check on Aenaire and her son. With only three elves in Alnus settlement, he worried about them. Tuka seemed content as long as she was near Itami but Aenaire was a single mother cut off from her culture. Her considerable skills of less importance at Alnus. Taylor had some ideas on that as he and Aurelia walked down the neat line of cottages to one where a plum tree and a pair of blackthorns were now growing, carefully tended out front, still quite small but adding a definite touch of warmth and character to the environment. Taylor firmly but politely knocked.

After a moment or two, the door opened to the pleasant face of Aenaire. At three hundred, the High Elf combined classical beauty with a quiet serenity.

"Ah! Hello, Taylor!" She greeted. "Your journey went well, I trust?"

"It was eventful," he replied mildly, glancing over at Aurelia. "Oh! This is Aurelia, my newly assigned minder."

The Warrior Bunny bowed in deference to the Elf. "It is a pleasure to meet one of the High Race, though I am surprised to meet one so far from the Great Northern Forests."

"While the vast majority of our people live there, there are villages scattered across the continent at least. I have, in fact, heard tales of seafaring elves. So it is possible that our people reach beyond Falmart." She shook her head. "But forgive me. We need not stand in the doorway all day! Please, come in." Aenaire smiled, inviting them inside."Please, sit!" She retrieved two cups and filled them with cider before filling another for herself.

"I'm glad someone is keeping an eye on this one," the elf indicated Taylor to Aurelia. "It seems he has a talent for falling into trouble."

"My Lady has noted the same thing," Aurelia remarked.

"Indeed?"

Taylor rolled his eyes. "I'm sitting right here, you know." He reminded them.

"A good thing too," Aenaire teased. "You're where we can both keep an eye on you."

"Itami's the one getting into trouble!" Taylor objected. "I just happen to be there when he does." It was time to change the subject. "Anyway, I came by to see how you and Galador were doing."

Aenaire gave a wistful smile. "I cannot complain. We are alive and together thanks to you. Our needs are met. I make a little money by making preserves and other things. There is still small game to be had and I've finished building a simple bow." She paused. "Mainly, I worry about Galador. It isn't that the other children are unkind. But he is the only elf. It's hard for him to fit in."

"I may be able to help with that," Taylor considered after a moment of consideration. "I'm being sent to the City of Italica. My people want to learn more about this world so they're sending scholars of all kinds and The Imperial Princess has agreed to let them set up their studies in Italica. I have a fair relationship with the knight she's leaving in charge there so I'm supposed to be the 'go-between' between her and these scholars, making sure everyone gets along. I'd like you and Galador to come with me. I'm certain there will be people who will want to talk to you at length about your culture, your language, the history of your people and your stories. And I know that there are races other than humans living in Italica. Galador wouldn't have to feel like he was the only one different there."

Aenaire considered the offer. "I'm not sure. Where would we live? And we can't rely on charity forever. What would I do when not conversing with these learned men of yours?"

Taylor thought for a moment. "You'll both be welcome in my home. And you said it yourself. I need as much help looking after myself as I can get. I mean it."

"Are you sure?" She glanced between Taylor and Aurelia. The Warrior Bunny's eyes seem to twinkle mischievously.

"I insist. Please come?"

Aenaire thought carefully and nodded. "Alright."

"Good! It's settled then!"

Aenaire nodded. It wasn't like anyone would ever hold them to the details of this little agreement.

In the meantime, Aurelia suppressed a smirk. She wasn't entirely certain but if she was correct in her understanding... _Oh! My Lord! If you only knew what you've gotten yourself into!"_

* * *

Not far from Aenaire's quarters, Rory Mercury was receiving a visitor of her own. The worn features of the shepherd were by now a familiar sight to the soldiers and refugees around Alnus and few seemed to take any particular notice of his comings and goings as he talked about looking for his flock. It was of no real surprise that the old man would come to pay respect to the Apostle of Emroy as she was seen by many as the patron of the Alnus settlement.

"Shall we take a walk, your eminence?"

Rory nodded pleasantly at the invitation.

"So little one? I heard that you went on a little adventure?"

Rory nodded, reminding herself once more that though mostly ignored among the deities of Falmart, that Corus was far from merely an aspect of the forge god Duncan and was in fact much older than Duncan or indeed, older than any of the twelve exalted ones. "It is an amazing world beyond the Gate."

The old one nodded. "I would imagine! I have seen that their weapons are far beyond those of this world. Probably beyond what Hardy imagines but what else did you see?"

"A city that stretches as far as human eyes can see, towers rising into the sky and filled with millions of people!" Rory considered everything she had seen carefully, especially the people who looked at her and the others with curiosity and those who had wanted to use them for their own ends. "Millions of people. They have great wealth and abundance. Still, all human… the noble and the petty, generous and greedy. Humans with ambitions… As a people, they are the same as any other but their knowledge gives them the potential to do both great and terrible things."

"Just as do we," Corus reminded her. "Which is more dangerous, knowledge or ignorance?"

Rory smiled. "Knowledge can either harm or help. Ignorance can destroy but it can never create."

"Very good!" The old shepherd replied.

"And that knowledge is coming as I see that Hardy has let the children jam the door open," Corus noted. "I'll have to have a talk with her soon."

Rory shivered slightly. Hardy made even her nervous but if Corus said that he was planning to go into Hardy's realm, then the underworld would be no safe haven for its mistress if the older god decided to 'admonish' her.

Corus noted Rory's expression and waved it off. "Even with all of her flaws… Even though I have had to fix a few of her mistakes... I would not wish to see her hurt. But change is coming. Ignoring it won't help."

Rory frowned as she considered the sights she had seen in the other world.

"Of course, we've done our collective best to keep the races of this world from advancing too much. Whether that means too much for their own good or what we're comfortable with is the question," Corus noted. "Children need to grow. Sometimes, they even need to feel pain, as much as we would wish otherwise."

Rory turned to look upon the old god. "What are you thinking?"

"That by keeping them from growing, we're inhibiting our own advancement. The gods play with their toys and break them when they get bored. That's not enough for me." He stopped and smiled.

"In the meantime, your final ascension will be only a few years. You must be excited."

"There are things I will miss," Rory admitted.

"Oh? Tell me."

"I will lose the ability to feel! I want to _live_ , not just exist."

At this, the old shepherd laughed in genuine amusement. Rory flashed him a look and he held up his hand in apology.

"I'm sorry child but you believe that nonsense?" He asked in disbelief.

"Nonsense?" Rory objected.

"Total nonsense! Do I strike you as a being who doesn't feel? Is a lack of feeling why Hardy pines to have you in her chambers?"

Rory threw him a disgusted look at that but Corus merely continued.

"This lack of emotion must be why Emroy is such a calm, mellow figure. Oh! Rory! A sword is still a sword, no matter what metal it is forged from or how it is reforged. All born of mortal flesh! We are who we are!" He gently placed a hand on her shoulder.

"If a new age is to come, there will be a need for someone to help guide it. "

"I am still the Apostle of Emroy. I must follow his will." Rory reminded.

"As long as he gets his blood and souls and trust me! As long as mortals are mortals, he will! Emroy does not care _how_ you carry out your duties. Trust me on this." Corus smiled.

"Well! I feel I have taken enough of your time, your eminence! I must be about my flock! May the gods find you in their favor!" With that, the shepherd left Rory with things to consider, including one particular and personally relevant observation.

 _Youji... I think this game just became much more interesting!_


	28. Chapter 20: Making and Influencing

**The Janus Campaign**

 **Chapter 20: Making Friends and Influencing People**

The journey to Italica was peaceful enough, even with the long column of trucks carrying everything from solar power generators to a mobile Doppler radar, weather balloons, a 50" telescope, even a mobile kitchen. As the presence of the Science team constituted an expansion of the terms of the original Italica agreement, it was proposed that in exchange for allowing the Science Mission to stay in Italica, the engineers would rig electric lights to cover the city walls as well as infrared and night-vision cameras to improve the city's defense. Two radio transmitters were set up in case either anyone required evacuation or Italica required reinforcement from Alnus And as many of the scientists enjoyed their creature comforts, portable hot water heaters were brought in and were also made available to Countess Myui and those residing in Formar Manor. This was despite the objections of one of the team's sociologists, who objected to the 'technological contamination' of the local culture. The rigging of electric light and erecting the radio transmitters were considered non-negotiable by both the Pacific Forces and by Princess Pina, acting on Countess Myui's behalf while Doctor Stevens objections to other conveniences were ended by the astronomy team who were themselves quite partial to warm baths instead of cold showers and who refused to go without hot coffee or tea during their late night observations.

While the scientists and engineers sorted themselves out, Princess Pina's party stopped to rest before continuing on to the Jade Palace. Pina and her ranking knights, accompanied by Third Recon and the Diplomatic party remained in Italica a day and a half before moving on. Lady Panache promised to return to Italica at the earliest practicable moment but not only was her presence at the Jade Palace required as a matter of protocol, Panache needed to arrange for the resupply of the Order's forces now stationed in Italica. She also had a matter of familial importance to attend to before returning. Millet would take temporary command of the garrison until then.

With the need to have someone trusted by the local populace around to make sure the new neighbors did not get out of hand, the mission to escort Lady Agrippina home to her estate and lands east near the Blue Sea was put on hold. Taylor offering his apologies to the young noblewoman.

"No need, Lord Octavus, I quite understand. Besides, it might be to my advantage to remain here for a time and gather the local news first. If that son of a jackal is enjoying the comforts of my home, I should take the proper time to prepare my homecoming. I don't suppose you would allow me to continue my lessons with Corporal Nakamura?"

Taylor chuckled, "I'm sure we can arrange something." Internally, he supposed he should feel some level of sympathy, empathy, or pity for the dumb bastard who had made the mistake of crossing this woman but oddly, found none.

"Thank you. I never would have thought such arts would be so… satisfying."

This time, Taylor shivered inside.

* * *

 **Lordom Valley, Cave of Refuge, Circle of the Elders**

Nayu Haa Nin, warrior of the Dushi clan, knelt before the elders next to her fellow warrior Yao Haa Dushi. While Yao was a direct scion of the Dushi line, her presence here was solely due to her extensive skills and the great trust the elders had in her. Nayu's own presence here puzzled her. While not without considerable skill of her own, Nayu was forty years Yao's junior and not quite up to Yao's standing as a warrior, although it could be said that her very survival in these current times of trouble was, in itself, an indicator of her skill… Or at least her luck. Nayu envied Yao's composure under the steady gaze of the Elders.

The truth was that the Elders themselves envied Yao's apparent composure for they themselves very much feared the future and now found themselves with only a single, desperate gambit to save what remained of their tribe. None of them could explain why the great beast had awoken so early from its slumber. Relying on the detailed accounts of the past several hundred years, they should have had at least a couple of decades before needing to scout out new lands and migrating away from the ancient places while the creature fed and prepared itself to renew its slumber. Such was the normal cycle of things. Eventually, the beast would return to its sleep and when the tribe returned, they would rejoice as new life arose from the ashes.

But this time, all knowledge had failed them. Hundreds had died and their thriving village had been laid to waste as the Great Beast attacked with a hellish fury, a fury which could only be called 'Hate'.

Yet, even amid the horror of those first days, it was noted that the beast was injured. The first and most immediately beneficial injury was that the creature's left eye had been destroyed, the shaft of an arrow still struck fast in it. This gave at least a chance to evade the monster, hiding in its blind zone. The other injury was one that confounded them all: The Beast was missing its left forearm. It was perplexing as no weapon of mortal wielding could have done such harm. Some wondered if it had fought some other terrible beast and suffered the wound in some titanic encounter.

In the coming days, the truth was revealed to them, although a truth so fantastic any people less desperate would have been inclined to dismiss it as pure fancy. From a few of the tribe's returning traders came rumors of mysterious warriors with strange weapons that had been responsible for wounding the Flame Dragon and driving it away after it dared to attack people in their protection. A handful of other travelers confirmed these rumors and added that these 'Men in Green' had also utterly destroyed a horde of bandits at the city of Italica, slaughtering hundreds of bandits in mere minutes with no loss to their own. Such power could be the key to their salvation! If they could only find these 'Men in Green' and persuade them to use their power on the tribe's behalf.

Beyond the unbelievable power they held, little was known about the 'Men in Green'. They were apparently a human tribe, but not of the Empire. The Elders surmised that they came from the Gate of All Beginnings of which their ancient texts spoke. This, along with the information in the rumors suggested that the Green Men would be found in the lands North of Schwartz Woods. It was precious little to go on.

At least there was the fact they were human. Humans were a race the Dark Elves understood quite well. Like them and less like their distant cousins, the High Elves, Humans were beings of passion, in fact nearly wildly so at times. In those passions, the Elders hoped to find some means of persuading the Green Men to aid them.

Initially, the Elders planned to send only Yao Haa Dushi on this mission but as they considered the situation more carefully, plans were amended. First of all, came the very somber realization that perhaps help would not come to the Dushi Tribe. In that unfortunate event, the Dushi needed to take some action to preserve something of their lineage and identity.

For this reason, even though it would, in fact, be impossible to evacuate the entire surviving population or even any large number of them, the Elders selected three couples, all healthy and between the ages of two and four hundred to leave the Valley of Lordom and start anew, elsewhere. The Elders did not provide any instructions beyond this to those selected, feeling they would have to decide for themselves the best way to go about their task.

As to the task of securing help from the Green Men, the simple fact was that 'North' was a lot of ground to cover. A second set of ears and eyes could be of tremendous value in the search and a second set of hands as well.

"Yao Haa Dushi! Nayu Haa Nin! To you, we entrust the future of our tribe! Yao! Not only do you possess unequaled skill, cunning, and spirit ability among our surviving warriors, but you, who have suffered great tragedy, have remained faithful in all ways to our beliefs and way of life. To aid you in your task, we entrust to you the greatest treasure of our tribe."

A second Elder then addressed Nayu. "Nayu Haa Nin, you have amply demonstrated the traits cleverness, guile, and adaptability. Your spirit remains strong even in this time of troubles and your skills as a warrior are well honed."

The First Elder resumed. "The weight of our very continued survival as a tribe now rests upon your shoulders. Yao, Nayu, you both understand why as women, you were chosen as our emissaries, do you not?"

"Certainly," Yao replied, embracing her mission.

"Yes," Nayu answered. She too understood quite plainly the Elders' reasoning. Most human societies were politically and militarily male-dominated. This was simple knowledge. Common experience had also taught that many humans found Elves, particularly Elven females, highly exotic and desirable. If using this fact helped secure the aid of the Green Men and brought the Great Beast closer to its end, then Yao and Nayu would do so.

"Then go!" The third Elder commanded them. "Bring back the Green Men to help us!"

It was Yao who answered. "Yes! We will complete our task and return. If my body is the price for the head of the Dragon, I will pay it gladly." As she rose and turned to leave, Nayu rose and followed her out of the Circle of Elders. They had to provision and pack for the journey.

Beyond the logistics of their mission, Nayu kept her thoughts to herself. _We base our survival on the random tales of mysterious warriors from beyond. The Elders grasp at other men's straws! Still, it is all we have_. She did not discuss her thoughts with Yao, not wanting her words to be taken as defeatist, nor as a challenge to the Elders. She very much had doubts about the wisdom of the Elders in this whole matter but this was the only real hope for most of their people and she would not undermine their mission through careless actions or words. Still, before leaving the caverns that were now the sole sanctuary for the surviving eight hundred Dark Elves of Schartz Woods, Nayu paid a final visit to her mother. The five-hundred-year-old woman smiled proudly at her daughter.

"I am heartened that the Elders have chosen you for this task," Indras told her daughter. "I have a few small items that might be useful to you, acquired in my days of traveling," she said as she went and retrieved a simple, wooden chest. Ironic that it had survived the devastation of their village because Indras kept it hidden, buried under a slab of stone in the ground beneath her bed. The Elders had thought with some satisfaction that she was symbolically burying that part of her past. But from her vantage, she was merely protecting it and keeping it close as she always had. For this reason, this second most valued of her treasures survived. She brushed the lid of the carefully crafted chest with a fond smile and warm memories before opening it. First, she removed a small, tightly bound book and then several rolled sheets of parchment.

"My journal and maps! I think you'll find these useful."

Nayu took these with care. As she began to offer her thanks, her mother raised a finger to pause her. "Also, take these as well." First, she opened a silver orb and smiled as it seemed to still be in working order. "This has guided me over the most important miles of my life." She placed it in Nayu's hand. Nayu looked at it reverently before placing it gently in a carry pouch.

Next, Indras removed two leather sheaths. The straps were a bit worn but still serviceable. The blades they carried were still deadly sharp. "An enemy is most vulnerable when he believes you are helpless," she reminded her daughter.

"Yes mother," Nayu answered, rolling up her detached sleeves and carefully strapping the sheaths in place and rolled the sleeves back down.

Then after carefully inspecting its condition, Indras reverently handed her a well-tended balestrino with a polished wood grip. "Thankfully, your father understood this lesson as well. I know you know how to use this."

"Of course!" Nayu agreed, taking careful hold of the weapon. "I promise to return it safely."

"More important that it return _you_ safe," Her mother replied. Finally, she took out a delicately crafted silver chain, it held a silver ring carefully engraved in both Elven and human letters. Indras fastened it around her daughter's neck. "His spirit will go with you."

Nayu bowed her head in thanks. "I swear we will succeed. We will bring help."

Indras embraced her daughter with all the love and pride a parent could have for her child. "If there is help to be had for us, I know you will find it!"

* * *

Back in Italica, Bartholomew, Head Butler of Countess Myui's household watched the procession of outworlders with growing concern. His concern was hardly out of any loyalty to the Empire but he was a man with expensive needs and therefore heavy debts. His patron took care of both of those things, provided Bartholomew continued to provide useful information. The extent and nature of the outworlder presence in Italica coupled with the Imperial Princess's consorting with them and their agents certainly constituted valuable information. Bartholomew's main worry was getting his reports out as the outsiders began to establish a presence in the city.

Fortunately, his usual courier arrived on his usual schedule,.There was a quick exchange of letters: One from his 'Brother' in Sadera and a 'reply' promptly returned. Hopefully 'Brother' would be pleased with the information he was sending. Bartholomew was feeling a desire to take a trip to Sadera soon himself. He realized his patron would never let him off the hook, not now. But if Kaine or the other maids ever discovered his activities, things might get very unhealthy for him. Kaine and most of Myui's maid staff were fanatically devoted to the Countess and if he were exposed, a sudden change in scenery would be a very good idea. Perhaps, he thought, his patron might have other work, not quite so risky.

On the other hand, retiring altogether might be a better idea and if he were planning on retiring, he would need plenty of funds saved up. And that meant providing his patron with something worth the gold.

For that reason, he realized that the influx of outworlders into the city was an opportunity as well as a potential problem. From the looks of them, many of these newcomers were not soldiers but academics. Bartholomew had met many of their kind in Rondel and academics tended to lack a soldier's discipline and often liked nothing better than to talk about their work and other things. Hopefully, an opportunity would present itself.

* * *

It was dawn, the morning after Princess Pina's party reached Italica that two riders departed the East Gate bound for Sadera. Their instructions were clear. While Flavius carried the provisions for the trip, his sister was entrusted with the finances for their mission. This only made sense in Flavius' view as his sister was by far the more dangerous fighter of the pair.

As per their instructions, they needed to be discreet as possible They were to negotiate, bargain, bribe and if necessary steal and even kill.

As many found in these days, there was much to do and little time.


	29. Janus Responses

**Janus Responses:**

I had not wished or planned to post anything like this. Frankly, I would rather work on the story and update faster. However... I've received some comments that I need to address. First: To anyone who has left a signed review, even one critical of what I have written, I extend my thanks and gratitude. I feel that feedback and constructive criticism are very important for a writer.

As to guest reviews: While some of them have been nice and appreciated, I can't directly reply to guest reviews and some do warrant an honest reply. And by that is I am always willing to discuss things people see as problematic in my work. I may not end up changing my opinion on an issue but I will listen. Frankly, this is best done via the pm system. But as I said, the guest review system does not allow for that.

Now to the point: When the last two chapters went up, I received some guest reviews that looked like they were composed by one individual. This person complained that this story had too much flirtation and I was forgetting the reason all these soldiers went through the GATE.

Fine. Let's address this:

The goals of the Pacific Alliance

 **1) Stop the invading forces in Ginza.**

This was obviously done.

 **2) Prevent future attacks on the civilian populace.**

Accomplished by the seizure of the Gate and Alnus Hill

 **3) S** ** _afely_** **recover as many of the captives taken in Ginza.**

 **4) Make Peace. This can include demands for reparations but the initially proposed sum demanded in canon was blatantly provocative as it called for the Empire to hand over more gold than was mined in Earth's entire history prior to the Industrial Revolution.**

It is painfully obvious that for the Pacific Allies **, making war on the Empire is the easy part.** Just in the defense of Ginza and the seizure and defense of Alnus, the allies killed at least a hundred for every person killed or injured in Tokyo. Could the Allies systematically wipe out the Empire? Yes. But to what end? It would not be to protect the people of Japan. That goal has already been achieved. It would not help those still held captive by the Empire. It would instead probably guarantee these people would be killed by vengeful Saderans who would have nothing left to lose at this point. Wiping out the Empire would, in my opinion, achieve nothing but prove that our branch of humanity was just as savage.

Now... There are times when an outmatched foe continues to fight and attempt to kill even though it should be obvious the fight is over. To men who can only accept ruination, only ruination can be given. But at the very least, Princess Pina is willing to make peace.

So do we insist on vengeance or do we make a peace that rewards us for our efforts and just maybe as in the case of say West Germany, do we start making a friend? Modern Germany and Japan are two of America's best allies even though we fought them both in a war which makes an event like Ginza nothing more than a social faux pas. Whatever reasoning one may ascribe to the effort, it remains that the United States, Germany, and Japan ALL benefitted from a policy of building friends rather than just tearing down enemies.

Here, the choice the Allies seek is peace and at least some in the Empire's ruling circles want this as well. This is the best way for the largest number of Ginza captives to come home alive.

To make peace, people need to talk and try to understand each other. This often leads to interactions.

And yes, science and understanding of a new world and a new culture are VERY important. Especially as the Operational objective of preventing further aggression against civilians HAS been met.

Now, having said all that and getting off the soapbox, if people still feel that they would prefer a story of salted earth, this story really isn't likely for them. I thank these people for their time but what else can I say?

As for anyone left in the room, I'm glad you stayed! Hopefully, you'll continue to enjoy where this story goes! Again, reviews and constructive criticism are ALWAYS welcome!


	30. A Time For All Seasons

**I decided to do a holiday update. I realize Christmas is past but it is still the holiday season, so I humbly give you this holiday offering. As always, read, review,and enjoy!**

* * *

 **The Janus Campaign**

 **A Time For All Seasons**

 **Camp Augustus**

Tiberius El Kalgi noticed as the camp began to take on a slightly more festive decor, particularly the trees brought in and adorned with lights and other ornamentation. He voiced his curiosity to the Lady Lucilla as he helped her with preparations for the coming Saturnalia celebration.

"I didn't think that the people here celebrated the Old Gods?" Tiberius remarked.

Lucilla laughed with humor. "I don't think they do. But then neither do many of us," she replied. "No, it's a celebration called Christmas," Lucilla smiled. She paused as she considered best how to explain. "Next year the timing won't be so close to our Saturnalia but they have a lot in common, or so I've read and been told." She considered. "You've noticed that they use a version of the Old Reform Calendar?"

Tiberius nodded. "Yes, three hundred and sixty-five days in twelve months. And they use the seven day week, not the eight-day week we use."

"That's correct, my lord," Lucilla nodded. "Whereas our calendar is of three hundred and eighty-eight days with twelve equal months of four eight-day weeks and the seasons each marked by the intercalendaral days of Autumnal and Vernal Equinox and Winter and Summer Solstice," she explained. "That they use the old calendar is further proof, if any is needed that this world is not a new world but it is the world of human origins." Not that Lucilla or her mother required any further evidence. The Japanese Language might seem as alien as Elven but the fact that recognizable forms of both the High and common tongues existed here was well beyond any coincidence. The joke that they had traveled to invade a world which had once given breath to their ancestors.

"In this case, the two calendars simply happen to fall conveniently close to having the same Winter Solstice," Lucilla noted.

"So this 'Christmas' is a celebration of the solstice?"

"Not entirely. You see, here, the temples of the Old Gods fell out of favor, just as with our people. But not because of the Twelve. Here, a religion called Christianity took hold in the Empire of the Old Lore. It isn't the only religion in this world but it is in one form or other, one of the most important ones. Christmas is a celebration of the birth of the Son of their God. I don't claim to understand it but the point to remember is that the date of this birth was agreed upon as being on December 25, to coincide with Saturnalia, which was still a popular festival. Clever to offer a token to those who didn't follow the new religion by 'borrowing' everyone's favorite holiday. Just like our people, people just can't say 'no' to a good excuse for a party!" Lucilla grinned. While Saturnalia was considered a relic of the Old Gods, the Gods of Falmart had left the cherished celebration intact, under 'new management' as it were.

"And even if their beliefs aren't the same as ours," Lucilla noted. "Peace and goodwill to all are things worth celebrating in any culture."

Tiberius nodded in agreement. Then he noticed a certain gleam in the Lady's eye.

"Now, my lord! As those of us here at Camp Augustus will be celebrating both Saturnalia and Christmas, I need your help with hanging the mistletoe!"

* * *

 **City of Italica**

Aenaire sat contentedly as she finished the stitching on the new shirt that she was going to give her son in the morning. While thankful for the clothes that Taylor and Itami's people had provided them with, there was something to be said for preserving at least some pieces of their Elven heritage. And besides, it was identical to the shirt she was making for Taylor. _William_ , her mind corrected. It was still true that her son was all she needed but for the first time in decades, Aenaire wanted. She wanted to share her life with another again. What her mind had justified out of convenience, her heart now truly desired. And if their time together might be measured by the brief span of a human lifetime, then she still wanted it so. And she now hoped her son would know a kind and good father, even if only for a few decades.

Cautiously, she had sounded out Aurelia on this. The Warrior Bunny laughed. _"_ _I know the Lady Octavia has certain plans and hopes for My Lord. That said, I think she would approve that the strength of the People and the spirit of the Lady Panache be united with the serenity of one such as yourself. As we have noted, My Lord is much in need of being looked after."_

With that assurance, Aenaire watched fondly as William sat telling another tale to Galador. Her son had listened with rapt interest to tales about the Vulcans, who were like Elves but lived far away among the stars, and their kin, the Romulans, who like the Dark Elves had chosen a different path from their brethren, and to tales of the great Elven warrior Legolas and his human brother who fought together to defeat great evil in the lands of Middle-Earth and the wise queen Galadriel at whose description her son giggled and caused Aenaire to blush. And now her son listened eagerly as another story began.

 _"_ _Now listen closely, this is a tale of an elf who lives on Earth to this very day and this is his special night!"_

 _"Special night?"_ Galador asked.

 _"_ _Ah yes! They call him by many names but in this story, he is known as Saint Nicholas. As it was said that he was the jolliest soul in the world, he was entrusted with a special mission to help spread joy to children throughout the world. Now… Most of the time, he works in secret, helping those he can and gathering magical energy which he uses on his big night where he travels all over the world, giving gifts to good children and releasing all the magic of generosity and kindness he has gathered throughout the year so it can warm the hearts of men and encourage them to hold and spread that same magic themselves,"_ Taylor told him.

 _"_ _Now, this story is almost two hundred years old. So your mom was hardly much older than you when it was written."_

Galador nodded, listening attentively.

 _"_ _Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house, not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse…"_

* * *

 **House Vallis (The City of Avaricum, along the Appia Way)**

Sulla Du Vallis was having one of those days again, he thought as he poured himself another cup of wine. He should try to be festive. It was the season of Saturnalia and someone had delivered ten casks of ale to his house. By now, his men were all either passed out from drinking or nowhere to be found.

He wasn't quite sure how it had come to this. When the current war started, he had a contract to supply provisions to the army. He also had his hand in slaves, mostly laborers but with a new campaign looming, Sulla sensed an opportunity to break into a higher class market. He had sold off most of his current stock of slaves at below market value to have gold in hand. When the army began sending slaves back from the new conquests, they would pass through Avaricum before reaching the markets in Sadera and that meant he would have a chance at first pick. Being the first able to supply such rare commodities would finally give Sulla his opportunity at becoming a high-end merchant. He figured it would be simple to turn a hefty profit. So as 5th Legion marched through with the first taken slaves, Sulla paid for twenty: Ten men and ten women. This had turned out to be a huge mistake. Instead of an economic boom, the private market had collapsed overnight as he had learned through his connections that the expedition had turned into a complete disaster! Not only would a new stream of slaves not be entering the market but the expected mass of soldiers returning home with pockets full of gold had been decimated instead. The Empire's appetite for luxury goods had not been completely quelled but it had been greatly diminished. What the Empire needed now, he was told, were strong laborers.

To that, the men were soon requisitioned by the Empire. Sulla was paid a fair if disappointing sum for them as their physical development was considered unimpressive. This left ten barbarian women who spoke in a strange tongue and for which he had no buyer and no connections to help him find one. They quickly became a massive headache. Learning that several of them spoke High Tongue should have been a blessing but instead it only helped them communicate with the other slaves. It was a miserable trap. He did not know how to break them as he wished because they were too valuable as potential assets and he could not damage them lest they become unappealing to prospective buyers. Had he the experience of an actual high-end dealer, he would have learned techniques to punish them without leaving observable marks but he was used to field slaves and using more direct methods when one of them got out of line. But they were the only stock he had and he could not risk accidentally killing one of them even if it might cow the others. Further, whereas he was having to constantly keep an eye on his own employees, _when they were sober_ , he thought, his slaves had begun bonding and while he knew he might have a slave killed if they dared to strike him the looks a couple of the others gave when he raised a hand at any of them scared him as they seemed to sense his failings in handling such valuable and temperamental merchandise. He was well aware that these two could kill him and even if it cost their lives it would not make him less dead. So for now, he could only hope that the Empire's fortunes would reverse themselves into a climate where their value as luxury goods would be attained. So he fed them and clothed them and he needed to drink more. At least he had no wife complaining about the state of his business.

It was at this time during the last day of Saturnalia, that a heavy knock sounded on Sulla's door. Seeing most of his associates were already passed out from drink and the rest, doing gods only knew what, Sulla pushed himself up from the table and answered the door.

"Better not be some drunken fool!" He muttered as he stalked to the door. "I've enough of them that work for me." He opened the door to find two quite well-dressed individuals, one man and one woman, both about eighteen years or so. The young man spoke first.

"Good evening. We are looking for a Sulla Du Vallis? We understand he deals in certain goods of which we have need."

Sulla nodded. "Yes! That would be me! Please come in, lord…?"

"I am Flavius Co Cacola. This is my sister Dyet. We understand you deal in slaves?"

"Yes! The market has been a bit soft lately but I do have some."

"Excellent! House Cacola has need of many workers. More than a few of our tenant farmers signed up for the recent… campaign…" Flavius said the last word as if it had a sour taste. "I think you can see where our problem lay. Few have returned and with no one to work the fields…"

"Ah… yes, my lord. Unfortunately, all my male slaves were requisitioned by order of the Senate."

Dyet smiled predatorily. "A woman can work a field as well as a man. The important thing is that the work gets done. I would like to inspect what you have. If the quality is satisfactory, we will offer a fair price. Brother? While I inspect these slaves, why don't you and Master Vallis start discussing the details? Unless they're all worthless, we'll need a wagon and provisions for the journey."

"Certainly sister," Flavius agreed. Sulla shook his head.

"My lady, I can't advise you to go into the slave quarters unescorted. I'm afraid some of them are a bit… high spirited and unfortunately as you can see around you, my 'help' is useless."

"Fortunately," Dyet said, pulling out a long dagger. "We don't need them pretty and if one of them thinks to touch a daughter of a noble line, they'll regret it," she growled. "Now, where are these 'high-spirited' girls? I need to see if they're worth our time and money."

Sulla frowned. "I have no use for damaged slaves, my lady."

"Yes, yes," Dyet dismissed. "You'll be compensated, you have my word. Now, show me."

Vallis inwardly flinched. "Right this way." He gestured and opened a locked door, revealing a room some twenty by twenty-five feet, containing seventeen slaves. Twelve were humans, one Warrior Bunny, two catgirls, an avian and a Draconian.

"These might do, brother. I'll examine them. You handle the details," Dyet announced.

"Certainly, sister." Flavius replied and guided Sulla back to the table."Master Vallis? A drink if you would? My father considers it bad form to do business with a man you would not drink with."

Sulla nodded, although still concerned that the stupid girls might yet ruin this deal, it seemed the gods had granted him favor this Saturnalia.

As the girls looked at her with a mix of surprise and fear, Dyet smiled and put a finger to her lips. "Nihongo ga hanashimasu ka?" She had been told it meant 'Do you speak Japanese', and at this, nine of the human girls eyes went wide and several of them also pointed to a tenth, a blonde girl of fair complexion and started to explain something in rapid-fire Japanese that Dyet assumed meant that she was also one of those taken in Ginza.

"Do any of you speak English?" She then asked. Six of the nine nodded as did the tenth girl. Dyet smiled. "Tell your friends to play along if you want to leave here." She then spoke similarly to the others in Popularii. After a few minutes, she called out to her brother. "I'm done here. These will do for a start."

"Good! I think we can reach an equitable bargain." Over the next two hours, details were discussed and drinks were had… at least by a now happy and somewhat hazy Sulla. Flavius and his sister politely appearing to drink but both of them needing to avoid the ill effects of drunkenness and neither of them caring for the poor quality of Sulla's wine.

Finally, with the contracts signed and Sulla on the verge of passing out, Dyet ushered the girls into a wagon.

As Sulla watched the wagon get underway, he contemplated the gold now in his pockets and his intoxicated employees. Perhaps it was time for a change of scenery?

"Not a bad day's work!" Flavius commented a few minutes later as they headed east. They needed to reach Mursa before turning south to follow along the coast of the Blue Sea before reaching their destination.

"Not at all, brother. Her Highness will be pleased with our start but you worried me there for a bit," she admitted.

"I worried you?" Flavius asked. "I was sure you were going to start a riot!"

"I had everything under control. I was more worried that you were going to low-ball us out of a deal!"

"We already had to pay for ten casks of ale."

"True, hopefully, that sort won't ever learn to question free ale on Saturnalia," Dyet replied as she rode alongside the wagon which Flavius now drove, his own horse trailing.

In the back of the wagon, the girls discussed their sudden change in fortunes. Dyet informed them that they would have to travel south along the Blue Sea where they would all be taken care of at a private estate until Dyet and her brother were able to track down as many more of the Ginza captives as possible without risking anyone realizing that someone was searching for those individuals in particular.

One of the girls frowned as she tried to recall the date. Somehow it seemed important. Had she known, it was now 1:07 AM on the morning of December 25th, Tokyo time.

And they had just been given a Christmas miracle.

Watching from the distance, an old shepherd looked up to the heavens and smiled.

* * *

 **To be continued...**

 **A/N: Yes, Flavius and Dyet Co Cacola. And yes, it IS pronounced as you think. (With thanks to taalismn)**


	31. Chapter 21: Perspectives of War

And Happy New Year!

Today we pull back and look at things from the view of the principal national leaders.

 **Chapter 21: Perspectives of War**

"With all due respect, Mister President, the Japanese People must have recompense!" Ambassador Shima declared. "Restitution and reparations for the damage and for the lives of our citizens lost in the Saderan Empire's attack!"

"The American Government is not opposed to Japan seeking compensation in this matter. And we are very aware of the expense of keeping troops on deployment," President Merwin noted."But I have also seen reports that your government was preparing to demand thirty thousand tons of gold in reparations." The President noted the ambassador shift slightly uncomfortable. "Of course, I know better than to trust everything I read at face value. So I'm quite certain that has to have been a mistake. I've done the math. That's about one point two trillion dollars worth of gold! In fact, that's more gold than was mined in the entire history of the world until the twentieth century. Three times the value of reparations Germany was forced to pay under Versailles in 1919! While I am not one to put a monetary value on a human life, there are, of course, simple practical considerations involved here." The President leaned back in his chair.

"Let's assume, Mister Ambassador, that this 'Gate' is a permanent thing. Unless we assume that, then we might be better of withdrawing our people back to our side. But let's assume it is," he continued. "The research team just went in, including the geologists and mineralogists. We have no idea what they'll find: Oil, coal, gold, diamonds, copper… Who knows? Maybe enough oil that the OPEC states start getting nervous. Or maybe just enough that voters in Texas start worrying. Naturally, that's academic since it's not our land." Merwin leaned forward, holding out his hands as if weighing something only he could see. "Our nations have a choice, Mister Shima. We can try to take everything we can in one big grab and run like thieves in the night as it all goes to hell behind us." He held up his left hand, palm up and stared at it. He then raised the right hand in the same manner and smiled.

"Or… We can play the long game. There's an entire world out there. Whatever we do with that world will be our legacy. So do we want to be remembered like Cortez Or do we show we've grown up? Prosperous countries don't attack each other. They trade and get rich." Merwin smiled. The vague stick of posterity and the much more ponderable carrot of prosperity.

Shima found it hard not to be carried up in the President's visions. "May I take it that the American Government has some specific proposals? The Japanese Government cannot make policy on the basis of poetry."

The President's smile widened as he nodded to the Secretary of Commerce, who withdrew a thick bound document from his case and handed it to the ambassador.

"This analysis was produced by a study group of experts from the State Department, Treasury, Defense, Education, Agriculture, Interior, Energy, and Labor Departments. To be honest, our projections would be much clearer if we actually had hard numbers to plug in but we think you'll find the basic modeling sound."

The Secretary of Agriculture nodded. "The first thing is we need to make some improvements in their farming. A simple switch to a Four-Field System would provide them with a major boost."

"They launch a war of aggression and you wish to reward them?" Ambassador Shima asked in disbelief.

"They've already paid a pretty high butcher's bill," The President noted. "Besides, I don't think it would be out of line for the Empire to pay _part_ of that increase back to Japan as reparations."

"At least once we've made sure their basic sanitation and storage are to an acceptable standard," Agriculture added.

"Agreed," Merwin nodded. "We have a lot to learn but the potential is too great to ignore." If we do this right, He added in his own thoughts. He was certain that whatever resources might be found in Falmart, _And who the heck came up with 'Falmart' as a name for a continent anyway?_ He wondered idly. But whatever resources were found in that world, a world of headaches would accompany the discoveries.

"For what it is worth, I agree, Mister President However, Prime Minister Shinzo's position, while strengthened by the embarrassment of Kohara and the Constitutional Democratic Party, is still delicate. There are many who feel Japan should take a harder position with these Saderans. We are already threatened by China, which in its quest for the acquisition of resources, continues to encroach closer to Japanese territory. The North Koreans routinely threaten our safety simply so they will not be ignored. Our own ability to act in our own best interests is limited in a way that no other national government is and now an unknown nation has invaded our own Capital. Regardless of the enemy losses, Prime Minister Shinzo cannot afford to appear soft on the Empire. While we appreciate the efforts and exertions of our allies, it still remains that it was Japan's soil that was violated and Japan's citizens that were murdered and abducted. There are many who will not easily let that pass. There are others who will use that understandable national outrage to further, shall we say, an aggressive agenda."

It did not help matters that China and Russia both wanted to take this into the United Nations, publicly arguing for 'greater transparency' of the coalition effort and its 'impact on the native peoples' but viewed for a more cynical lens, was merely an effort to get their feet in the door in this new world and play games of their own. So far, the peculiar nature of the situation had helped block these attempts But it was another complication in an already difficult mess.

"We completely understand the delicateness of the Prime Minister's position," Merwin replied. "For now, everyone needs to see how the talks progress and what more we can learn of the Empire and its resources. The summit in Tokyo is in three months," Merwin brought up the meeting of Japan's coalition partners previously scheduled. "This will give us some time to fill in some of the gaps in our knowledge and flesh out some of these proposals in greater detail."

"Of course, Mr. President," Shima replied. Internally, he knew this meant Shinzo's ability to maneuver vis a vis the Nationalists would be limited. The Prime Minister was not going to be happy.

* * *

 **Imperial Palace, Sadera**

 _It was not supposed to be like this_ , Emperor Molt Sol Augustus thought to himself as his advisers discussed the current state of the war. More 'The War', Molt thought grimly. It was a conflict that threatened to reduce the history of the Empire to the insignificance of petty squabbles. Even the Great Arctic War was a minor inconvenience by comparison. At least in that war, Emperor Gaius Sol Maximus was fighting an enemy that, while skilled in battle, still had a vulnerability the Great Maximus had managed to discern and exploit. Of course, Maximus had been pushed to the brink before realizing the pattern and reasoning behind the powerful offensive launched by the Northern Tribes, beseeching the Senate and offering up his own fortune to raise a new army after three armies had been smashed in rapid succession by the enemy, Maximus ordered all the bridges north of the Capital torched and the granaries emptied as his new army adopted what was still called a 'Fabian Strategy', staying between the enemy and the Capital, refusing battle until Maximus lured the enemy into pursuing him through a narrow pass in the Attican Mountains. His army quickly turning on the tired, weary, and frustrated enemy, Maximus smashed them in a rout before leading an even larger army North to finish the war for good. The example of the Arctic War had been a shining tribute to the strength of will of the Empire. Seldom mentioned in the recorded history was that Maximus had bribed one of the Northern War King's vassals to block the pass behind the main army. Even less mentioned and indeed, actively suppressed by Maximus's successors in the following two centuries were the great Emperor's own writings on the war, which would have brought ill comfort to Molt Co Augustus had he ever read them:

 _The War was forced upon us by an enemy who could only accept two outcomes. The first being victory and the second, total destruction. Victory was, for us a matter of survival, nothing more and nothing less. But now, even in our victory, the Gods curse us. For in being forced to utterly destroy the Northern Tribes, we will, ourselves, be forced onto a path where EVERY war will be an imperative. We will be forced to ever expand until we will ourselves force our own destruction. Had Hothnar only been willing to parlay, this path might have been avoided. I would have given much to avoid the war for which I am praised._

 _I do not regret winning the war. Losing would have meant the annihilation of the Empire and death or enslavement of its people. I regret having been forced to fight the war._

 _And I will regret the wars to come that our growing pride will bring upon us._

These writings would one day be discovered by a scribe in the City of Rondel, far too late to be of counsel to Emperor Molt. For now, the words he heard were those of Senator Godasen and his other senior advisers who were as lacking for answers as Molt himself was in dealing with their current enemy.

Currently, Marius Du Callon was speaking. "I must again ask his Majesty to rescind his order calling for the destruction of crops, wells, and bridges between Alnus and the Capital. There is no evidence it is having any effect on the thinking of the enemy. Further, the damage to the morale of our own people is not insignificant."

"The people have always proven willing to bear whatever the cost required for victory," Molt reminded.

"Yes but I believe it is an unnecessary cost that inflicts nothing upon the enemy and slowly bleeds us instead. Apparently," And at this, Marius glanced over at Godasen, "this enemy appears to have a completely different guide to making war. We cannot rely on old methods."

On this, Molt had to concede. Unlike those fierce warriors of two centuries prior, _this_ enemy seemed in no hurry. He turned his gaze to Godasen, inviting him to respond.

The senator, mage, and general seemed now only a shadow of his former self, his crushing defeat at the hands of the other-world barbarians leaving him bereft of his former confidence. "I advise a cautious approach, your Majesty. Their magics are not to be underestimated." He considered, "it _is_ possible that the magic they use draws its power from beyond the Gate. That could explain why they have not pushed their advance."

"Perhaps," Molt replied. "But it still does not tell me how we defeat them. Have you learned anything about their system of magic?"

"Very little, Your Majesty. We know that shield spells had some protective effect but not enough to turn the tide of battle."

"Have you made any inroads in recruiting more mages to support my legions?" The emperor asked.

Godasen stood before his Emperor like a schoolboy attempting to explain to his teacher what happened to his book report. "I've been making every effort! Your Majesty! But I am afraid that the most talented mages are from the schools of Rondel. Most of them view the Empire's concerns as being less important than their own research projects."

"Do they?" Molt growled somewhat frustrated. He wished nothing more than to remind those learned fools that they were not beyond his reach and that to him, their silly little papers were nothing compared with the needs of the Empire. Unfortunately, he reminded himself, they _were_ beyond his reach, at least for now. _One enemy at a time_. He needed these people, perhaps more than they needed the Empire.

"Keep trying. If the coin of loyalty is not the coin that buys their aid, then find their price. When we are victorious, I am certain it is a price we can squeeze out of our enemies, or our allies if we must. If we lose, they'll not be in a position to demand payment."

"Yes, Your Majesty," Godasen replied a bit nervously.

"Mages! Magic!" Senator Podawan scoffed. "What do wizards know of the courage of men? We dare not wait overly long to strike back at the invaders," the bellicose Senator advised. "Lest the people take 'caution' for timidity and cowardice."

"Unless you propose to attack them single-handedly, we still require an army for that," Marius scorned. "So far we have managed to destroy three armies in this war." He glanced at Godasen. "Unfortunately, none of them have belonged to the enemy."

Molt frowned at the implied rebuke of his own decision to assemble and throw the armies of the vassal states against Alnus. While a ruthless choice, it was necessary to maintain the balance of power between the Empire and its vassals. Still, he did not comment. Instead, he merely continued with the discussion at hand. "How is our new army progressing?"

"Recruitment, especially in the Northern and Western territories, has been quite successful. It is fair to say that the prospect of an invader army in the borders of the Empire has both angered and frightened a great many people," Podawan reported.

"Yes, large numbers of men who have never seen battle and very few experienced soldiers to train them and lead them!" Marius retorted. "We're having to find and call back soldiers who have been retired from active service simply because we don't have enough younger men with experience!" Marius replied. The thought of sending an army of old men and young farm hands into battle against the army that had devastated the Empire's pre-war cadres disgusted him. Unfortunately, he, like his Emperor, lacked an alternative answer to this particular puzzle. However, this was at least one matter on which the logic could be used to at least block Podawan's brand of foolishness.

"I believe this demonstrates that our enemies have at least made one mistake. They are giving us time, the time we need to rebuild an effective army. The more time they allow us, the better our relative position will be." Marius did not truly believe this. Their adversaries had smashed the finest troops in the Empire, some of them at least had been led by the best Commanders in the Imperial Army. This new army could train for years and they would be no equal either to the armies that had been destroyed or the army that opposed them. But if playing at that angle convinced the Emperor to hold back and not give in to Podawan's foolishness, then it would give them time to find some other solution without wasting another hundred-thousand men. If the enemy was content to sit on Alnus Hill, Marius cared nothing for its 'sacredness'. He would let them sit there for eternity rather than prod them into a more aggressive stance.

"Yes," Molt agreed. "They should have moved before now. Let them come to us. We will study and prepare until then." He too hoped the delay would give him time to find a solution to his current troubles. He sighed internally as his mind returned to his earlier lamentation. This campaign was supposed to have been a single grand triumph which would have raised his power to new heights and allowed him to relinquish the throne to Zorzal while leaving him in a position to direct his son from behind it.

Now, instead, he had a mess which highlighted just how spectacularly he had erred in preparing his sons to succeed him. He had spent the early part of his reign cementing his hold on power. This had necessitated removing his oldest son. The handsome, well-spoken Marcus had grown up under the close tutelage of his mother while Molt was busy solidifying his power base. Marcus had seen service on the frontier. It was a distinctly unglamourous posting but had earned him favor with the army.

In the end, Marcus had proven to be the most potentially dangerous threat in the Empire: A viable replacement for Molt. So Molt waited like a spider, ready to ambush the son who had become his rival. The opportunity came during the War with the Warrior Bunnies. Marcus, 'The Soldiers' Prince' stood before the Senate and had sternly rebuked his younger brother, Zorzal's conduct of the Campaign. Marcus denouncing the waste in Imperial lives through Zorzal's blunt force approach to war. Marcus had proposed that he should take an army into the Veldt, where he would march on Tyuule's Capital and lay siege. But then the boy had overplayed his hand. He reminded the Senate that their original mandate to the army had been merely to secure the border against raids from the Warrior Bunnies. He intended to offer Tyuule terms before moving on her Capital: That her people would be allowed to withdraw away from the boundaries of the Empire and settle in the lands to the Northeast. That the Empire would even then guarantee the Bunny Nation if Tyuule accepted his terms.

Thus having both humiliated his brother Zorzal and angering Zorzal's allies in the Guilds and the Senate, Marcus had made himself vulnerable and Molt had him executed for plotting sedition and treason. It was a flimsy set of charges but it was enough. It also sent a clear signal to Zorzal about power and control.

It had also been a huge blunder for Molt, he now realized. He had paid more attention to his younger sons. Zorzal could command power but lacked the subtlety to handle it. Diablo was smart enough but lacked the fire to command power on his own. _With_ Molt's blessing and support, either of them could claim the throne. _Without_ it, neither could ever challenge him. Unfortunately, what he now needed was someone who had both the confidence and vision to act intelligently and decisively without Molt having to guide their moves. What he needed was the son whom he had feared.

Perhaps Marcus could have found a way out of this mess.

Molt dismissed these thoughts. What might have been was of no use to him now. He looked to Marius. "Your concerns are noted, Marius. I will suspend the orders to destroy bridges and other assets. But should the enemy begin to move, I want preparations in place to destroy everything of possible use to them. I will not let them have a single grain of wheat, nor will I grant them any convenience in my lands."


	32. Unhidden Shame

For today's installment, we return to the 407th Combat Support Hospital. There may be a few laughs, a few tears, and perhaps even hope.

 **The Janus Campaign**

 **Unhidden Shame**

Klinger put his ear against the office door trying to listen in on the staff meeting in Colonel Potter's office. While Radar would probably pass on any interesting tidbits himself after the meeting was over, there was nothing like hearing the details for one's self. He glanced over at Parna, who was sitting contentedly at Radar's desk seemingly unconcerned. Keeping his voice low, he jerked his head at the door.

"Ain't you the slightest bit curious?"

Parna smiled slightly and wiggled the tip of her right ear.

Klinger shook his head. "We gotta get you on 'I've Got A Secret'."

* * *

Inside the Colonel's office, Colonel Potter looked over his audience. Henry Blake sitting on the edge of his seat, Major Winchester who had his arms folded in an aristocratic look of impatience, Major Houlihan, her bearing textbook proper, Major Burns who had the look of an eager scavenger, waiting to pounce on the smallest morsel or flee in a panic if confronted. Father Mulcahy, dependable as always, Hawkeye Pierce, a great surgeon and a terrible Army man, Trapper John McIntyre, also a fine surgeon and like Pierce, also an 'operator', and finally BJ Hunnicutt. doctor and devoted family man.

"Listen up folks!" Potter began. "We've got a new directive from up high. We are hereby instructed forthwith to detach two doctors and two nurses and appropriate support personnel to the City of Italica. Now, ostensibly, this is to support the International Science Mission and since Countess Myui is being very supportive and helpful with our efforts to establish peaceful relations with the locals, that we should extend the benefit of our medical resources and knowledge to Italica."

"And what about less 'ostensibly' and more between the lines?" Pierce got straight to the point.

"Once the 865th arrives and finishes setting up, the word is that the brass are planning to relocate the 407th forward in case talks break down and we're forced to take the offensive. Italica has two of the Empire's main roads intersecting. That makes it prime real estate. Henry," Potter turned to Blake. "I'm sending you to Italica with Captain Newsome. Margaret, you are to select two nurses to accompany them."

"Bayliss and Able, sir," Houlihan replied without hesitation.

"Good. Henry, you can have whoever you need among the enlisted personnel sans Radar, Parna, and Koirre. I need them too much here."

"Yes Colonel," Blake replied as he began to consider who he would need.

This left one issue that McIntyre immediately spotted. "Wait a minute Colonel, why send Henry?"

"I've got no real choice, McIntyre. "Henry has all the needed credentials. He's senior enough, I think his personality is a good fit and most importantly, he's not Frank!"

Hawkeye and BJ both looked at Burns as it all hit them. "Wait!" Hawkeye protested, "with Henry gone, that makes Frank…" Pierce did not even want to finish that sentence.

"I'm afraid so," Potter replied. "Major Burns will be acting XO."

Burns' face suddenly lit in greedy delight as he rubbed his hands together in anticipation. "Hot Dog!"

"Frank? Are you kidding? Colonel?" Trapper asked.

"Yeah," Hawkeye agreed. "How about Winchester? He may not be the most personable but he's rational if nothing else!"

"Burns has seniority! That's how the game is played, Pierce." Potter was not happy either but the rules were the rules. "What you're really worried about is Burns finding a way into my chair."

"Don't take this the wrong way, Colonel," Pierce said stabbing Burns with a glance, "but I hope you're planning to have a security detail. "When in Rome, I wouldn't be too surprised if Frank tried a little 'Et Tu Brute'!"

Potter looked at Burns. "Are you kidding? I'd make mincemeat outta him."

"Point taken."

Potter nodded. "In the meantime, Henry, you'll need to scout out locations for us to set up the whole outfit if we're ordered to move. Work out whatever trades, deals, and arrangements you have to but if the word comes down, I want us to be able to set up PDQ!"

"Will do sir. Anything else, Colonel?"

"Just be yourself, Henry. I trust you'll make a good impression on the locals."

"Of course, sir."

This brings us to the next matter," Potter continued. "This will leave us a little short-handed, but we will simply have to adapt. As you know, even with First Division's medical unit fully deployed in theater, we still have primary responsibility for conducting all the health exams for folks coming into Alnus and folks coming in from or heading through the Gate. Especially since the JSDF people are transitioning new gear. The number of refugees and new settlers coming into Alnus has been steadily increasing in the past few weeks and there is at present, no indication that will change any time soon. While we've begun patrolling the local villages and settlements, things are still a bit hairy going further out. A lot of people are being dislocated and are looking for someplace to go. A lot of them are coming here. We're the folks who have to check on every last one of them. Adding onto that is that while Henry is heading for Italica, Countess Myui has graciously assigned some of her staff, along with some volunteers in various crafts to come to Alnus and help out in building a fully functional and more self-sufficient community. All those folks are going to need to be checked out as well and a fair number of them are Hetero-sapiens."

"Hetero-sapiens?" BJ questioned. "Forgive me Colonel but you'll scare Frank with the big words."

"Hetero-sapiens is the new official general term for all intelligent races or species outside of humans. We are to avoid such terms as sub-human or demi-human," Potter instructed and then folded his hands behind his back as he paced a bit. "Which reminds me. There will be a general announcement to all personnel about certain descriptive terminology and I might as well start here. This comes from Washington:'In the current climate in the area referred to as Janus and in light of the realization that intelligent species other than humans do exist, certain terminology heretofore considered innocuous must now be evaluated for the potential for misunderstanding and possible alienation and friction between US service personnel and other-than-human beings. To that end, personnel are strongly advised to avoid such common references as 'Dog-Face' or 'Bird-Brained'. Terms such as 'Catty' or 'Pig-Headed' are also strongly discouraged, as is the term 'Bull-Headed'. Personnel are also advised not to refer to individuals as being 'Mousy' or 'Rat-Faced'."

"If I apologize ahead of time to any Mustelids, can I still call Frank, 'Ferret-Face'?" Hawkeye asked.

"We'll see," Potter replied.

"I don't see what the big deal is," Burns said. "Nobody gives any particular concern over my feelings" Burns shook his head. "Everybody in this country are all savages and godless heathens anyway.." He muttered.

"What was that, Major?" Potter scowled.

Burns swallowed. "Nothing sir."

"It had better be. That kind of talk doesn't scour with me and it doesn't scour with the Army either. Remember that or next time you'll find your butt in a sling. Am I clear?"

"Yes, sir."

"Besides Major, we're all God's children, no matter in which of his forms we are created," Father Mulcahy admonished Burns mildly."Even you, Major."

"Still, Hetero-sapiens is a bit cumbersome for everyday conversation. Where do the lawyers stand on 'Anthro' as a term?" Pierce asked.

"Degenerate!" Burns replied. "That stuff is disgusting and perverted!"

"So is every word that comes out of your mouth, But that doesn't invalidate my question." Pierce shot back. "Besides, how do you know about it, Frank? Look, 'Anthro' simply means 'human' or 'human-like' I don't see a problem."

"I'm inclined to pass on that Hawkeye," Potter considered. "If 'Dog-Face' is out, I don't want to step on a landmine with terms that seem to have slippery context'."

"Fair enough, Colonel," Hawkeye replied. "I wouldn't want to ignite a furious flurry from the furries."

"I'm sure somebody will come up with something more appropriate and I'm open to suggestions," Colonel Potter replied.

Surprisingly, it was Major Winchester who answered. "I believe the term 'sentients' or possibly 'sophont' would do."

BJ turned and grinned. "And here I thought I was the only Gene Roddenberry fan in here."

Winchester put up a hand in protest. "Not I, rather I did spend more than a few days with a lovely young girl who was fond of such pulp entertainment. Her name was Christine. She did have a beautiful mind."

"Alright then, sentients," Potter nodded and moved on."One thing that will help a little with our short-handedness is that all combat units, when not employed off base, will rotate their medics to performing three shifts a week with us."

"That could be helpful," Major Winchester allowed. "Especially if they are up to the abilities of Sergeant Kurokawa. But for most of them, I think it would be wise to give them a refresher course first."

"Do my ears deceive me? Is Charles actually complimenting someone?" Hawkeye smirked.

"An enlisted person at that, Hawk!" BJ confirmed.

"Come now, even you two cretins can understand the importance of recognizing tasks well done. I merely find that Miss Kurokawa is exceptionally precise and capable in her work. In the instances we have encountered her, her reports were concise and to the point and her knowledge of practical medicine has shown to be exceptional," Winchester responded. "As for the vast bulk, I have not discerned whether it was in the means of their basic instruction or that they have allowed themselves to slip in this distant land but there is definite room for improvement."

"Are you volunteering then, Major?" Potter asked.

"I'll handle it, sir!" Burns declared. "Major Winchester is right. I've encountered more than one medic who has been most uncooperative, they even have a tendency to question my medical judgment! Shoddy work and shoddy discipline!"

"Thank you but no Major," Winchester shook his head. "While it is my usual policy to allow a man as many opportunities as he desires to make a fool of himself, there are times when professional responsibility dissuades me from such personal indulgences. I will handle this responsibility myself."

"Alright then," Potter agreed. "Now, the next item is the performance of our resident Specialists, enrolled under MAVNI, Major Houlihan?"

Margaret nodded. "They've both performed to my full satisfaction, sir. They've been quick to take instruction, attentive in their duties, proactive in dealing with potential problems. I couldn't be more pleased, sir."

"Careful Major, your motherly pride is showing," Hawkeye teased gently. Houlihan merely smirked.

"Hawkeye?" Potter asked.

"It so happens I find myself in complete agreement with the Major. I wish I could find myself in a few other places with the Major but that's another story," Pierce replied. "Parna and Koirre have done outstandingly. If it were up to me, I'd give them both medals for conspicuous and meritorious service… with carrot clusters!" Hawkeye added.

"So, both of you would recommend recruiting other such individuals under the MAVNI program for both this unit and for the 865th when they establish here?"

"Definitely," Houlihan nodded.

"Absolutely, Colonel," Hawkeye agreed. "But we keep Parna and Koirre. I don't want to work with just any bunny, you know."

"Agreed," Potter nodded. "It will, therefore, be my recommendation that all units at company level and above should strive to recruit such individuals while deployed in the Janus Command Area."

"Now onto the next issue at hand, a memo has just come down. Starting next week, a special communications bay will be open for any personnel to schedule Skype calls to their loved ones if they don't already have the equipment themselves. We'll also have two stations set up with us."

"Great!" BJ grinned. "I'd practically kill to talk to Peg and see Erin. What about you, Trap?"

"I'll arm wrestle you for the first call Beej."

Hawkeye smirked. "And here I thought the Army had no heart."

"There's a catch," Potter warned. "The Army isn't doing this solely out of the goodness of its heart. To reduce demand on our logistical tether, deliveries of physical mail are getting cut back. The Army wants to encourage folks to use electronic communication means as much as possible."

"Kinda hard to send a package of snickerdoodles in a text," BJ noted.

"Care packages and letters will still get through, but personnel are encouraged to switch any magazine or other periodical deliveries to online format."

Hawkeye groaned. "I need my 'Nudists Weekly.' As a magazine, it's insightful, culturally enriching! Online it might as well just be porn."

Winchester frowned in disapproval. "The Boston Globe should not be treated like some 'Blog'. There is a reason it is called a news _paper_."

"Boys, those are your problems, not the Army's, capiche? I know it's tough but back in Desert Storm, we didn't even have internet! After the Battle of 73 Easting, some idiot reported I was killed in action! I could have only been so lucky to be able to call home and reassure my wife that I hadn't gotten myself blown into a million pieces!"

"Sorry Colonel." Hawkeye apologized.

"Water under the bridge, Hawkeye. But the point is we have to set a good example for everybody else. If we think we've got it rough, how about the guys out on patrols? Just because some of the Saderans seem to be reasonable and just because we've had the upper hand in every fight so far doesn't mean those people don't face the real prospect of danger out there."

"Kinda puts things back into perspective," Pierce replied looking over at Winchester.

"Agreed," Winchester nodded.

"Good," Potter answered. "Now onto the next topic…"

* * *

After the meeting ended, BJ and Nurse Kellye had shift working refugee examinations with Parna providing translations where needed. Having someone who spoke the local language fluently was naturally a definite asset, helping put to ease the tensions of many hopefuls who had come to live in Alnus Town. The day proceeding normally until early afternoon when a Bunny mother and her daughter checked in. The two had taken refuge in Italica after the fall of the Tribes, the mother and child had been lucky to find a trader who was willing to smuggle them safely away from the frontier and into Italica where they were given refuge by Count Formar.

The mother, whose name was, or most closely translated as Calliope, knew just how fortunate she and her daughter Ariel had been as many other bunnies in similar circumstances instead found themselves sold out to Imperial agents for hefty bounties. While grateful for the hospitality and kindness shown to them by Count Formar and later his daughter, Countess Myui, Calliope felt that Alnus was a chance to start fresh, for, despite the kindness of House Formar, he had been given no choice but to take Calliope in as a house servant of Clan Formar in order to protect them and himself from the wrath of Prince Zorzal and his patrons. This meant that Ariel too would have to be trained and live as a servant as she grew older. In Alnus, Calliope's daughter might have a new life of possibilities.

For Calliope, the appearance of one of the People at Alnus was a welcome and promising development. Unfortunately, for Parna it was something else. It was the specter of her past come to haunt her. Parna knew it was almost inevitable that she would encounter members of her own race at some point. But she had hoped she would have been better prepared for it. She had been prepared for the stares, expected and girded herself for insults and condemnation but the one thing she was unprepared for was a simple, innocent, question of a curious child.

 _"What happened to your ear?"_ Ariel asked in the language of the People. She had seen other Bunnies: Delilah, Grine, Mamina… but never one with an injury like that. What had happened to this Bunny? It was inevitable, insatiable curiosity and it was devastating.

Calliope froze as the question escaped her daughter's lips. Calliope knew how fortunate she had been to escape relatively easily. She certainly was not prepared to condemn another of her kind for the crime of surviving. Perhaps not even Tyuule herself. Despite Delilah's loud declarations of vengeance on the fallen Queen, Calliope wondered just how much the People should really trust the word of their sworn enemy. But discussing the particulars of the fall of the Tribes had not been a lesson for which she thought Ariel was yet ready.

And then Parna's world, carefully rebuilt, shattered, a broken mirror reflecting the moment Parna had thrown everything away for a bed and a plate of stew. She looked at the child and lowered her head, her hands frozen, her voice silent, her eyes staring into nothingness.

Captain Hunnicutt had been one of those briefed by Sidney Freedman and recognized quickly that Parna was in trouble and turned to Nurse Kellye.

"Kellye! Go find Koirre and Radar fast! We need them here now! Also, make sure somebody tells Colonel Potter. I think we need to get Sid Freedman over here as fast as possible!" As Kellye nodded and raced off, BJ placed a firm but gentle arm on Parna's shoulder. "It's going to be alright. Radar is on his way."

* * *

Sometime later, Parna was sedated, resting in her cot in Radar's office. Radar gently tucking her in with his stuffed bear 'Tiger', promising to return quickly as he went into Colonel Potter's office.

"She's asleep, sirs." Radar said quietly.

"Good," Potter noted. Koirre translated this for Calliope who stood with her daughter worried both about what had happened to Parna and whether the 'Green Men' would now send them away. Speaking in Popularii, Calliope turned to Koirre and began apologizing once more.

 _"Please believe me! Ariel didn't mean any harm! She's too young to remember the War and I haven't told her anything yet about the things our People had to do to survive. I'm so sorry!"_ Koirre translated this.

Potter shook his head. "No one is blaming either you or your daughter ma'am. There was no way for her to know or for you to foresee any of this. Koirre? Would you kindly escort Miss Calliope and Ariel to the Mess? They've had a long day and could probably stand some food if you can find any in there and then get with Klinger and set them up in guest quarters."

Koirre translated this and then gently escorted them out and to the Mess, leaving Colonel Potter with Radar, BJ, Hawkeye, Major Houlihan, and Sidney Freedman.

"So what now?" Hawkeye asked.

"She's come so far," Houlihan shook her head sadly.

"We just need to be patient. Get her back out there. She needs to know what she has here isn't going to up and vanish. Eventually, at some point, she'll have to confront these feelings. She'll need to face more people of her own kind and if we give her the tools and support, she'll find the strength to face those demons." Sidney stood up. "I'll be back tomorrow and talk to her after she's had some rest."

"Sounds like a good idea," Potter agreed.

"What about me? Uh, sir. What can I do?" Radar asked.

Sidney smiled. "You're a little on the short side but in her eyes, you really are her knight in shining armor. She needs your strength and she needs to know you feel about her the same today as yesterday."

Radar nodded.

In the meantime, BJ leaned forward in his seat as if in thought. "Sidney? Colonel? I think I know one way we can help."

"Oh? What do you have in mind BJ?" Potter asked.

"Something I was rereading in one of my medical journals. Has anyone here heard of a prelaminated forearm free flap?"

Sidney tilted his end. "What is that? I've never heard of it?"

Hawkeye smirked just a little as he thought about it. "It's a procedure where cartilage is harvested from around the ribs and molded into the shape of an ear. Then it's inserted under the skin of the arm where it matures. It's not just cosmetic. The new ear will have blood vessels and it will have feeling. The ear is harvested and attached. After a few surgeries, hardly anyone would ever know."

Potter frowned in consideration. "I don't know Hawkeye, not to be a downer but it's complicated work and her ear would be more complicated than a human ear. The length alone would probably require reconstructing by segments and then there's the problem that human ears don't have fur."

"Well, we've got to start somewhere," BJ noted.

"I hear you," Potter nodded.

Then Radar looked up from his own thoughts. The fine points of this conversation were over his head but there was a question that just would not leave him. "What I don't understand is why she didn't grow a new ear."

Hawkeye shook his head. "The body can do amazing things Radar but it just doesn't work that way. She's not a lizard. She can't just regrow her tail."

"I know that but rabbits can regrow their ears when damaged. I know Parna's not a rabbit but she's not human. I mean she's a person but…"

Hawkeye paused. "How do know that rabbits can do that?"

BJ looked at Pierce. "I think you just asked Henry Ford if he knows anything about cars."

"Blastema regeneration?" Potter wondered. "That's positively brilliant Radar! I think we should look into this! BJ? You look further into the prelaminated forearm free flap idea. It's not a perfect solution but it's a place to start and if Radar's idea doesn't pan out then we still have a place to start. Hawkeye? You and I are going to be spending a lot of time getting acquainted with rabbits. Let's see if we can make this work."

"I'll get Winchester in on it too. He may be a pompous pain but he's talented and if you put a challenge in front of him, I bet he'll bite."

"Good idea."

Sidney held up a finger in warning. "I don't want to dampen anyone's enthusiasm but remember, until she faces those demons inside her, this is just papering over the cracks. She's got some healing to do inside first."

"We know Sidney, but she deserves whatever help we can give her."

"I know," Freedman replied. "And it's an amazing thing to watch. I hope it works. If it does, I have a feeling she just may be the first of a great many to come…"

* * *

 **To Be Continued**


	33. Chapter 22: Where The Road Takes You

In this installment, plans and the threat of plot! As always, read, review, and hopefully, enjoy!

 **The Janus Campaign**

 **Chapter 22: Where The Road Takes You.**

 **Tybe Mountains**

Leaving Lordom Valley, Nayu unrolled her mother's map and took out the jeweled orb that held the compass her father had given her mother so many years ago, she aligned the map facing the summit of Mt. Akesh, its distinctive features easily recognizable to every Dark Elf in the tribe. Checking that the compass was also aligned properly, she pointed out their current location to Yao.

"If we head due north, it's the most direct route to Alnus Hill. If the rumors we were told are correct, then these 'Men in Green' most likely came from there. Of course, the direct route takes us over Mount Akesh and will take a fair amount of time and effort. There are also, not surprisingly, no settlements where we can resupply if needed or hope to learn more about the Green Men. Added to that is the problem that without more information, we have no way of knowing whether they are still at Alnus."

Nayu then pointed to the west. "On the other hand, if we head west, we will reach this Domitia Way. It leads to the Appia Way which runs directly through to Italica, where some of the rumors say the Green Men fought. There are also numerous settlements along the way where we can resupply and possibly obtain more current information."

Yao paused. Nayu's reasoning was sound and her mother had been one of the tribe's best Rangers and Scouts before retiring relatively young to take a human husband and start a family. Nayu's mother had undoubtedly trained her daughter well. Still, Yao's instincts pulled her to take the shortest route possible so they could secure help as quickly as possible. In the end, it was her responsibility. And her decision.

"We'll go west. Depending on what we learn, I'll decide whether we head for Italica or head towards Alnus."

Nayu nodded. "Alright then, after you." Nayu gestured as the two began the long walk to points unknown.

* * *

 **Sadera- Palace of Zorzal El Caesar**

Some Five hundred miles to the Northeast, rumors were also the fuel for the plans of another. This was Bouro. To Prince Zorzal, Bouro was a useful tool, a specialist in torture, interrogation, and spying, the halfbreed prized for having the skill and willingness to do those tasks that so-called moral Saderans could or would not. To Bouro, it was Zorzal who was the tool.

Bouro was the acknowledged leader of the Haryo, a people whose very existence was not even recognized by the Empire. The Haryo were not a race in the way Humans, Elves, Warrior Bunnies, Cat People, Sirens, or Medusae were. The Haryo were the mixed blood castoffs of society. Those children of mixed parentage who were accepted by none and who had come to see themselves as the creation of a new 'better' race, a new race born to the lands of Falmart and whose destiny was to supplant the lesser races who had kept them marginalized. But Prince Zorzal was no more aware of the Haryo than anyone else in the Empire and so in his ignorance, Zorzal had become the perfect tool for Bouro. Like the best tools, Bouro intended to take good care of Zorzal for at least as long as he needed Zorzal at any rate.

And Bouro did need Zorzal. For the Haryo could not hope to conquer the Empire from without. No armed rebellion could topple Sadera. But perhaps it could be conquered from within, compromised, consumed, _subverted_. As the Haryo were not recognized, how could they be considered a threat? The key to triumph was in Zorzal and his appetites, appetites that had, in part, been shaped by loyal Bouro. Bouro had seen how the reigning Emperor had come to view his heir, Prince Marcus with a wary eye, fearing the young man's confidence and strength of mind. Both Emperor Molt and Bouro saw Marcus as a danger. His character forged by his mother's careful guidance, the young man had developed a firm sense of his own self. Molt and Bouro both needed someone more malleable. Soon Molt had obliged Bouro and removed Prince Marcus permanently.

Now Zorzal stood as the leading candidate to succeed to the Imperial throne, provided he did not incur his father's wrath. Bouro carefully guided the Prince into a pattern of self-indulgence, creating a facade for Zorzal that soon became his truth. Only in such a state would Zorzal be properly prepped to fulfill his role in the rise of the Haryo. With a lust for women and the more exotic the better, Zorzal could be counted upon to sire an heir of Haryo blood, an heir who would always know his blood, an heir that would deliver the Empire into the hands of its true masters.

Unfortunately, Bouro had a serious problem. He could inspire Zorzal's appetites. He could supply his 'patron' with information. What Bouro could not do was manipulate Zorzal on a political level. He needed another tool to cajole Zorzal into place. He found one in Tyuule, The once Queen of the Warrior Bunnies was humiliated, defiled, and disgraced and Bouro had encouraged Zorzal in this, sensing the blind hatred rising in Tyuule, filling her with a single desire: To destroy the Empire and use Zorzal as the means to do so. Bouro would supply her with information and offer to act as her minion, another victim of the Empire seeking revenge. A very eager minion. Bouro grinned to himself. Tyuule was an attractive female and he would enjoy indulging as he convinced her that his loyalty was to her and her dream of watching the Empire burn… along with the liberties she allowed him, thinking it ensured his fealty. It would be a shame when he would inevitably find proof of Tyuule's plotting against Zorzal and sadly present it to him. But Tyuule was disposable. Soon after, Zorzal would be drowning his anger and disappointment at Tyuule's treachery in wine and women, both of which Bouro would provide and if anyone around Zorzal bothered to note that these women were all of mixed blood, no one would speak of it for only the most discreet and silent would be left at this point.

With the start of the Empire's latest war, there seemed to be an opportunity to advance their cause. If word was to be believed, the Empire had suffered staggering losses in its new campaign, leaving many in the Imperial Senate with increasing concern and doubt. The stone pillars of the Empire were developing feet of clay. Bouro knew that eventually, the newcomers would wear themselves out and the Empire would prevail as it always had. Bouro had naturally instead suggested to Tyuule that this war might break the Empire as she desired and so they had to ensure it continued. Bouro anticipated that this war would provide the excuse to 'purge' Imperial society of a great many 'enemies of the state' who would naturally be replaced by more loyal sorts.

The only problem was that the war had ground to a halt. Tyuule wondering why the armies who had reportedly shattered the best legions of the Empire had not advanced more aggressively. Buoro had no answer for this and unless something was done, a state of peace might take hold. This would be unacceptable for the Haryo, who needed the war as a catalyst.

For now, Bouro and his spies kept their ears open and watched for opportunities.

* * *

 **City of Italica**

If there was one city in the Empire most Haryo loathed, it would have been Italica. While hardly perfect in its treatment of non-humans or mixed humans, the more tolerant and inclusive attitudes fostered by the ruling Formar clan over recent generations was anathema to the Haryo. The so-called inclusiveness was a danger to them, threatening to steal their very identity away. If Bouro had known of recent developments in the city, he would have despised it all the more, because where perhaps Italica ought to have been destroyed, it had been saved by the intervention of two forces Bouro could not have anticipated the strength of and now, despite the suffering Italica had endured, it had not fallen but was _thriving_! Even with the damage to the city's walls still under repair, Italica was bustling with growth. Like Alnus, Italica had become a magnet for people fleeing now destroyed homes in the wake of the destruction wrought not only by Imperial forces but from the still numerous bands of bandits and marauders roaming the countryside as well as the spread of panic caused by the reappearance of the Flame Dragon. Italica was not only a closer destination for most but was also more attractive to some people who were still not ready to put their full trust in the outworlders who had set up on Alnus. While the reconstruction of the city walls continued under closely supervised prisoner labor, the rest of Italica boomed with new construction. Plans were being made to build new walls on the far bank of the Tagus River which flowed on the other side of the two hills which comprised the North wall and from which the city and much of the surrounding farmland received its water. A bridge already crossed the Tagus, the new walls would not only encompass new housing for the massive influx of residents, but barracks for an expanded city guard and even docks for fishing craft, and trading boats. Lieutenant Taylor had some ideas for boat designs that the locals could build and use and possibly even equip a local River Patrol.

Upon entering Italica, new residents were questioned as to their trade and skills, skilled craftsmen getting priorities in constructing new dwellings but even unskilled laborers were welcome, providing additional workers to construct the new walls on the far banks. These laborers still receiving pay and better food than the conscripted prisoner labor. Others were being recruited into the new City Guard. Lady Panache had assigned instructors from the ranks of the Rose Order's Foot to train these people. In addition, Corporal Nakamura had begun to train volunteers, many among the city's women, in the art of Naginatajutsu. Many women had been eager to train under the 'Reaper's Herald." This was in addition to the self-defense lessons she was giving Lady Agrippina.

"So? How did the meeting with Countess Myui go, LT?" Chief Richardson was asking.

"It went well, Colonel Blake and Nurse Able gave her a physical… very carefully supervised by Kaine and Mamina. Kaine was quite grateful to learn that Myui is no longer in danger from smallpox. She also seemed to appreciate Colonel Blake's manner. Kaine told me that in some ways, he reminded her of Myui's father."

"That reminds me, did we ever find out what happened to Count Formar?" The Chief asked.

"From what I was able to piece together, it doesn't look promising. He hasn't been identified among the prisoners and so far, not among the more seriously wounded cases. I've pieced together that he was assigned to one of the Legions on the East flank of the invasion. Most of them were ordered west after being blocked at the Sumida. They each left a guard force to cover the flank of the invasion along the river. Say, no more than a century or so. The rest of those legions slammed into legions in retreat when Hazama's First Division counterattacked. From what I've heard, it was a tangled mess and the troops coming in from the east had no idea what was happening until their escape was cut off. Those units suffered over ninety-percent casualties. I don't think we'll ever identify all the bodies."

"Poor kid."

"Yeah. Her sisters aren't helping either."

"Sisters?"

"Yeah," Taylor replied. "She's got two older sisters but Myui is the legitimate heir. So sister number one and sister number two have been having a nasty little war over which one of them should be Myui's guardian. Fortunately, Princess Pina has put a stop to that for now by declaring Myui under her protection."

"So neither of Cinderella's stepsisters has the brass to go nose to nose with Her Imperial Highness, I take it."

"You got it, chief. Myui's got a lot on her shoulders right now. Lucky she's got Pina backing her up and Kaine watching over her."

Senior Chief Richardson nodded. "True, and then she's got you riding herd on all those scientists."

"Well, she's given them pretty fair leeway. All I do is make sure that when they want to see her, they actually have something to say. Otherwise, Kaine is liable to toss them out the nearest convenient window," Taylor shook his head. "Although Doctor Coulter looks to have some solid proposals to help increase the local crop yields. I'll set up a meeting with Kaine tomorrow. By the way, I know Kaine took care of arranging quarters for Colonel Blake's people. Any trouble setting up quarters for Lieutenant Mayer's platoon?"

"Nope, Sergeant Killian had them setting up prefabs this morning."

"Good, Lady Panache says she wants her people to get a demonstration of just exactly what the Corps is bringing to the table. I think she's also going to want a few marines to accompany some of her patrols. I'll talk to Mayer in the morning."

"Oh! That's right, she just got back today. So you and her Ladyship discuss anything else?" Richardson smirked.

Taylor raised an eyebrow. In fact, they had discussed a few things, such as how happy her mother had been to get a letter from the son she thought she had lost. Apparently the news that his son was still alive had even penetrated the stoic facade of Panache's father, Baron Kalgi who promptly ordered a feast in celebration and the second best bottle of wine in his cellars brought up, apparently insisting that the best bottle, a bottle of seventy-year-old Alguna Red would be opened when his son came home. It had been a pleasant surprise to Panache, who still was not quite ready to forgive her father entirely but had improved their relationship somewhat.

"Some family matters. Not much else."

The Senior Chief rolled his eyes. "Look, sir, everybody knows you two have some serious chemistry."

"Chief, chemistry or no, I'm dancing so close to the line as it is. As much as I might want to, I don't know if it's a good idea for us to get involved."

"About that, Lieutenant?" Richardson hesitated. Some might consider it out of line but it was his duty to make sure young officers didn't make bad decisions and Lieutenant Taylor was 'good people' in the Chief's book. "Can we talk sir...?"

* * *

That evening, Taylor returned to his quarters. It promised to be a quiet night. Aenaire had arranged for Galador to get a look through the big telescope the astronomy team had set up in exchange for Aenaire and Aurelia identifying and describing the local stars and constellations so at least for a few hours, he'd be home by himself. Somehow it felt not wrong, per se, but just off with no one else there. So he sat back, picking up one of his old novels, not really getting into it. He set the book down, looking up to see Panache standing in the doorway.

If there was a single word for the sight, that word would be breathtaking. She was Diana dressed as Venus and she smiled in satisfaction, the hunter having cornered her prey.

"Aenaire and Aurelia told me they were going to be busy this evening," Panache said simply.

"I think there's more to it than just that," Taylor replied mildly as his initial surprise mingled with realization and rueful amusement at how Aenaire and Aurelia had set him up for this. The three of them had probably discussed this night days ago.

"Yes," she said, "and I want you to know why." Panache strode over to the bed and sat down, taking a deep breath.

Taylor took a seat beside her, looking at her gently, casting his eyes to hers and waited.

"I was once very close to Prince Diablo," She began. "Perhaps, if things had gone differently, if the Gate had not opened, we would have wed. Certainly, I admired him in many ways. He has a sharp mind and is in his own way, attractive. Of course, as the Second Prince of the Empire, he wields not inconsiderable influence in the Empire. My family would have very much approved of such a union.

"Certainly, I thought he felt the same for me. He promised me anything in the Empire. All I would need would be to ask." Her face set hard at the memories. "And then the Gate opened and the Emperor proclaimed a great campaign to spread Imperial civilization and justice to the barbarian realms that lay beyond." Panache looked squarely at Taylor. "I won't say that my heart didn't pound with pride because it did. We believed it was our right to conquer."

He nodded. "I don't think any nation ever went to war thinking they were in the wrong."

"No, I'm sure that's true," Panache shook her head. "But war is not a game. My father forgot that when he decided my brother should go and 'prove himself as a man'. Whatever glory Tiberius might accrue, our father could cling to it but I wanted my brother safe. Her Highness Princess Pina assured me that Tiberius would have a place in the Order but once our father secured Tiberius a commission, he was beyond her reach. So that was the one thing I asked of Diablo. If he had given me that one thing, it would have taken only the slightest effort to have Tiberius reassigned to the Capital Guards, where he would have been safe." She lowered her head, cold hate in her eyes and a tone of betrayal in her voice.

"I would have given Diablo everything. My heart, my body, my soul. I would have never denied him anything in exchange for that single favor." She shook her head. "But he said that he could not. That to do so would suggest that he lacked faith in the army and the coming expedition. That it might tarnish my brother's name. He promised that everything would be alright. I just needed to 'have faith' and a little patience."

"And then Tiberius marched through the Gate and then we learned in quiet whispers among generals and senators that the army had been defeated and utterly destroyed. On that day I had no hope, only revenge."

"And then you came. I wanted to hate you so much. Why shouldn't I? You were the enemy. And I wanted blood for the blood of my brother. But at Italica, you showed me nothing but compassion and kindness. And then in Tokyo, you granted me my only wish, asking nothing in return." Panache looked up at Taylor again.

"And now, for the Prince who offered me everything but denied me the one thing that I cared about, I feel nothing. For the man who was obligated to grant me nothing and yet granted me what a prince would not, he already holds my heart." She smiled. "Everything I am is yours." She took his hand and held it in hers.

Taylor inhaled. Panache was beautiful, gorgeous. He had seen her dressed this way before but that was different. Then, it was clear she was acting out of a sense of duty, carrying out the mission she believed her culture required of her. This time she glowed, lit with a hope and a desire.

And yet, he paused, caught between two worlds with very different rules.

Panache frowned. Her eyes lowering in disappointment, letting go of his hand. "This does not please you."

"No!" Taylor objected. "It's not that. God knows. You're beautiful, strong, smart…" _And I think I love you But is love even an option?_

"As I said, My Lord. I will gladly give you anything. If you ask me to go, I will go and never vex your chambers again." It hurt Panache to say this but if in truth it was what Taylor wanted, then she could not force him to accept her feelings but she would accept his. And yet, she saw his face was not stone, his eyes reflecting pain that mirrored her own.

"But if you ask that I should stay, I would do so gladly. I would know you in every way it is possible and ask you to know me in return. I would cherish you more than my life near so as precious as my most sacred oaths. You have but to ask and I would gladly be your wife, accepting as sisters they whom you have already taken into your heart."

 _Don't be a dumbass, LT! Taylor heard Chief Richardson's voice in his head. People are gonna judge you no matter what. I know it, and so do you, sir. Do you think you're going to commit treason? Hell! You know history. You've got some language skills You might be able to teach them how to make gunpowder but you know you won't because that's not how you think. Beyond that, all you've got to offer these people is a sense of responsibility and the knowledge to point out some of the places where our branch of the family tree screwed up over the past two thousand years._

 _LT. morals are a great thing to have but don't crucify yourself on yours. So you got a lucky draw. So what? You've played every hand fair. You're gonna throw the game because you got too good a deal? People fall in love, even in a war. And now you gotta own up and make a decision: And you're the one who has to make it, sir, because you're gonna be the one living with it. So? What's it gonna be? Stand or fold?_

"Please… Stay." He smiled, taking her hand in his. "Why don't we get to know each other? I mean before we try to know each other…"

* * *

 **A/N:** In that last line, the second usage of the phrase 'To Know' is in the archaic sense of well... You can figure it out...


	34. Chapter 23: Eyes and Ears

**A/N: I checked my source material. In the previous chapter, Nayu and Yao discuss taking Dessria Way rather than going directly toward Alnus. Problem is that Dessria Way is EAST of Schwarz Woods and not west. It is also on the other side of the Tybe Mountains AND while it DOES run north to Italica, it would take them right past Alnus first. There is a road to the west that runs into the Appia Way which could then be traveled east into Italica but it is not named in the source material. I have labeled this as Domitia way, in honor of an ancient Roman road that crossed Southern Gaul. The previous chapter has been corrected accordingly.**

 **And now back to our story:**

* * *

 **The Janus Campaign**

 **Eyes and Ears**

Panache had a definite spring in her step, Bozes noted the next morning as her friend arrived in advance of their meeting with Lieutenants Taylor and Mayer. Before then, there was time for a quick briefing among the senior knights present. While Vermouth was back in Sadera, left in command of the Company of the Yellow Rose, Millet was present as Panache's deputy. Suissesse Co Mein commanded the detachment of the Red Rose left to Panache by Princess Pina. The knight Decimus El Sideros was a veteran soldier with over thirty years of service with the Imperial Army and as a trusted comrade of Sir Grey, commanded the Foot of the Order. These soldiers, many of them like himself and Grey, long-serving veterans, marched under the banner of a Black Rose and proudly called themselves 'Pina's Thorns'. The last member of the Order present was Nikolasha Le Mon, another ranking member of the White Rose. Before moving on to the official business, Bozes went straight to the issue that was of particular interest to most of those present, save Decimus who, catching the looks that the other ladies were giving Lady Panache, quickly decided to take an interest in the toe of his right boot.

"So? You seem to have had a good night," Bozes smirked looking at Panache.

"You could say that," Panache replied with a satisfied look.

"So?" Bozes leaned in, smile wide.

Panache merely smirked. "Ask me later. Perhaps after we get back from Alnus? Then we can talk about what or who keeps _you_ warm at night, hmmm?"

Bozes began to blush furiously. "I have no idea what you're talking about!"

"Of course not," Panache agreed dismissively.

Still. Bozes was pleased for her friend. Later, she and the other girls would try to get the full details in a more discreet setting. For now, there were rather more important things to discuss. She turned to Decimus.

"How goes the training of the new guard? Will you require anything in the way of materiel?"

The veteran soldier shook his head. "We have weapons to arm three complete cohorts. Armor is a bit more problematic since the weapons of our 'allies'," Decimus said with care, "left much of what the bandits brought with them rather useless. We're salvaging what we can. A fair amount of chain mail, enough on helms," he considered. "I think we might salvage enough for six hundred men."

"I see," Panache considered. "So full equipment is available for six centuries. What about the manpower?"

"We have recruits enough," Decimus reported. "Local casualties during the battle were severe but between the survivors and volunteers immigrating into the city, we can fully outfit six centuries and train substantial reserves, though again, armor may prove a problem as aside from the armorers and blacksmiths here, virtually every skilled hand is working to re-equip the Imperial Army." He left their shared opinion unspoken that rearming with any intention of having another go at the offworlders was the height of waste and foolishness.

Panache frowned as she considered the difficulties in equipping Italica's new defense force. She had an idea, though an unhappy one that she would need to discuss with Lieutenant Taylor and then perhaps his superiors. "I think we can build a force of three full cohorts, leave the question of armor to me."

"As you will, My Lady," Decimus nodded.

"What about bowmen?" Bozes asked Suissesse. Suissesse Co Mein was well known as the best archer in the Order. Building a new cadre of archers to man the city walls had been a task placed into her skilled hands.

"Not many survived the battle," she admitted. "We've recruited a few from among the refugees. Obtaining the number of bows we need is not a problem and we've recovered a good supply of arrows but to get the number of archers I'd like, we will need to train a great many with no experience." Suissesse frowned. "I don't expect much to come of that. We all know learning the bow is very demanding. Our best option is to offer more pay to recruit more experienced archers."

"And crossbows?" Bozes asked.

Suissesse frowned. It was well known that she found the crossbow a vulgar weapon but she was professional enough to recognize its virtues. "I'll take as many as I can get. We need the numbers even if the individual quality may be lacking."

Bozes nodded. "I can't promise but I will speak to Her Highness. Perhaps she can arrange for a shipment of them. We will do our best to find the weapons you need."

"Thank you. I could ask no more."

"Of course," Bozes smiled.

"We have also been blessed by the 'Reaper's Herald'," Panache noted. "She has begun training many of the city's women in the use of polearms. This Naginatajutsu is certainly an impressive combat art." It was helpful that polearms, traditionally were among the simplest weapons to make. After the Siege of Italica, many of the city's wives, daughters, and mothers had sworn never again to be left helpless, many wishing dearly to avenge their grief upon the next army that should threaten Italica. After Corporal Nakamura had given a demonstration in Naginatajutsu, several hundred women had volunteered to train under her. For reasons of only having one instructor and limited weapons as of yet, only one hundred were selected. These women had begun training two weeks prior and had already adopted a black banner with crossed red lances.

"So, we should be able to equip a city militia of some two thousand," Bozes summarized. On its own, this number, combined with two hundred knights of the White Rose, another hundred knights of the Red Rose, and the entirety of the Black Rose added up to nearly a full legion's worth of troops, a formidable defensive force on its own. While this paled beside the power of the Pacific Allied forces, it was important to the morale and self-respect of both the Rose Order and the local residents to not simply leave the protection of Italica to others. Still, the presence of the hundred or so green-garbed soldiers of the Pacific Allies and the power they could call upon in an emergency was reassuring to have at their backs.

But while Italica was certainly well defended, that did not mean the rest of County Formar or the neighboring villages or roads was as secure. Panache had written decrees from Her Imperial Highness authorizing her to assume command of any Imperial garrisons in the area. Almost without exception, these garrisons were quite small. These men were from the Seventh Cohort of the 90th Legion, and were; in fact, based out of Italica. Two hundred of them had actually been in Italica during the siege, losing roughly half this number over the course of three days. They had also succeeded in antagonizing the City Militia in the months preceding and in giving the locals a rather negative opinion of Imperial troops. The surviving hundred had not measurably counted in Panache's plans for the defense of Italica and she well understood that had these men or at least their officers been held in higher regard by the Imperial Army, to begin with, they would not have been left on garrison duty out here. Five days ago, the 4th Century had arrived at Italica to take its turn in reserve, clearly expecting the 3rd Century to be waiting to replace them and completely unaware that the 2nd Century had never left Italica to take up the stations that 3rd Century had left. The commander of the 4th Century had actually tried to assume full command at Italica only to find himself reading official orders signed and sealed by the Third Imperial Princess herself. Panache had not sent the survivors of the 2nd and 3rd centuries to replace the new arrivals, feeling it better to start mounting patrols with her own people. Frankly, she needed to call in the other two centuries and get them up to speed on developments before they did something _unfortunate._

Panache recalled how she and Bozes had tried to capture Itami's Third Recon as they encountered them on the road to Italica. It was only due to the fact that Itami and Taylor had gone out of their way to prevent a fight that thirteen knights of the Rose Order had not died that day. And even then, had she and Bozes insisted on making a fight and drawing blood with their swords, Itami's people would have quickly avenged their officers. She had no doubts that their good fortune had been a happy fluke.

Presently, the group reached the meeting room. As a matter of protocol, two of Countess Myui's maids stood outside the door. Inside, a large map of County Formar spread out on the table in the room's center and Lieutenants Taylor and Mayer already there. Taylor's eyes brightened just a bit upon seeing Panache before banishing the expression and emotions behind a hasty mask of professionalism.

"Lord Octavus, Lieutenant Mayer," Bozes addressed them. "Thank you for being here. As you know, there are certain matters concerning our plans for the defense of Italica and protection of the surrounding area that we wish to discuss with you."

"Anything we can do to help," Taylor replied. He still was not used to the title. It was just one of a few things he was going to have to try explaining to his mom and now sooner rather than later. He figured that 'mom' and 'mother' were either going to get along like a house on fire or a Worlds War would break out. He wasn't sure which thought was more frightening.

Unknowing of his thoughts, Panache smiled mildly and nodded. "Thank you, My Lord. Currently, we have two issues which we would like to discuss." She first turned to Mayer, who met her eyes calmly. His unflappable nature was one of the reasons Captain Douglas had chosen his platoon for this assignment.

"The first matter is that I would like to request that some of your marines accompany our patrols. Not only would it be useful to prevent bad things from happening were anyone to blunder into someone else's people out there, but your weapons and especially your 'radio'?" She tilted her head as if to ask if she had said the word correctly. Mayer nodded. "Yes! Your radios would be very useful."

Mayer considered. "I think we can arrange that. What size patrols are you planning on?"

"Say, ten mounted knights," Panache suggested.

Mayer considered. "I can spare three Humvees. A fireteam with each. That's four marines. One vehicle to each patrol."

Panache nodded. "We'll need some time for our people to become acquainted first but I think that will work very well." She then turned to Taylor.

"We do have a problem which we are hoping that you and General Hazama can assist us with."

"Oh?"

"Yes. We have weapons and volunteers enough to equip a militia of 1500 men but there is a decided lack of armor available. We believe we can salvage enough for six hundred men but that leaves us nearly a thousand suits of armor short. I was hoping that General Hazama might allow us to salvage armor left over from the armies that were lost at Alnus. While we carefully understand, that your people have full claim to such salvage and that we have no formal agreement beyond the agreement to protect Italica but the materiel is obviously worthless for your own men and very useful to us in improving the defense of the city. I give you my word that those chosen to salvage will not take even a single head for a spear, just enough armor for our men and we agree for your people to verify thus. Also, we might like to reacquire some of the horses your forces took at Alnus."

Taylor considered this. "Even General Hazama might have to ask permission to release any materiels. That said, I think he and ComPacFor will be favorably inclined to the idea."

"Excellent!" Bozes replied. "Will you be accompanying us to Alnus then?"

"Yes, I ordered some equipment from the other side that should have arrived by now. I'll need to get checked out on it while we're there."

"I'm sure that your company will be much appreciated," Bozes said throwing an amused look at Panache.

"I am the one who is honored to accompany such noble and lovely ladies," Taylor replied without missing a beat, taking Lady Panache's hand and placing a gentle kiss on it. It somehow just seemed right. Bozes' smirk grew as Panache blushed.

"Well then," Panache smiled. "Shall we leave tomorrow morning?"

"Of course. I'll see you then."

* * *

 **Along the Domitia Way**

"It's hard to tell the real stories from the drunks and complete liars." Nayu quipped as she and Yao calmly walked out of a small tavern that quite likely would need some repairs come the next day.

"That drunken fool tried to claim he was one of the Green Men," Yao scoffed in disgust. He had then tried to grope Yao. who had snapped his wrist, yanked his arm behind his back and kicked him hard in the rear sending him careening into several other drunken bar patrons, setting off a full-scale brawl as Yao and Nayu calmly walked out.

Nayu smirked as she held a small bag of coins in her palm. Yao looked at her.

"What? I figure he owed us this for wasting our time." She then turned slightly more serious. "Besides, men tend to be less close-mouthed around people who will at least buy them a drink. We need the information." The smile returned. "So really, I'm just covering our expenses."

"Whatever." Nayu was right. Yao could not care less about a drunken fool being parted with his money. If they found those who could help their clan, Yao would bestow upon them the richest treasure her people had. She would willingly give herself in whatever capacity demanded if it would save their people.

Nayu shrugged. Yao's single-mindedness was part of why the Elders had sent her on this mission. But while _Yao_ might be inclined to ignore everything that did not directly affect their mission, Nayu was different. She yearned to explore the greater world and experience as much as she could. Admittedly, the tavern scene was getting a bit redundant but her mother had taught her to savor and enjoy life. It was after all how her mother had managed to have a happy marriage even knowing that she and her husband would only be together for a few decades rather than centuries. _The heart goes where it is called_. Her mother had told her.

But they did need to focus on the mission now and while Yao might not have had any luck, Nayu had managed a little better. "Well, while that fat pig was busy boasting, I heard a young man in the Tavern muttering under his breath that they didn't call themselves 'Green Men' and that 'that idiot was too fat to even fit in one of their iron chariots." I think he actually was there." Nayu concluded.

Yao spun on her. "What? And you didn't tell me? You didn't find out anything else?"

"No, because that was right before the fight started. Do you want us to go back in there and try to find him?" Nayu asked as the sound of more glass being broken was heard.

"No. I suppose not," Yao admitted as they resumed walking away. "Wait. I didn't hear anything. Where were you standing when you heard this?"

"I was about six lengths away by the far wall."

"Then how did you take that fool's coin purse?"

"Oh! That? I snagged it when he first approached you. Then I figured I should stand out of the way."

"Probably right. Well then, what do we know?" Yao asked.

"We know that the 'Green Men' are being seen in more villages but not staying for long. They definitely were at Alnus though." Nayu replied and then turned to her partner.

"So? To Alnus?"

"To Alnus."

* * *

 **Sadera: Sapphire Palace**

Claudia El Nerus, Second Imperial Princess leaned back in her seat and regarded her guest carefully. Livia Sol Augusta was Claudia's half-sister, the First Imperial Princess, mother of Marcus Sol Galba, whom she had named in honor of an uncle he would never meet, and now Queen Regent of the Kingdom of Hesperia. Livia had been two years old when Molt Sol Augustus married her recently widowed mother Vespasia. Though adopted by Molt, Livia's mother never let her forget her birth father had been Hadrian Co Augustus, the older brother of the then Prince Molt. In time, Livia's mother bore two more children. One was Marcus and the other was Claudia herself.

And then had come the children of Molt's concubines: Zorzal, Diablos, and Pina. And now, Marcus was dead. Livia widowed as her husband had loyally gone to fight in Molt's war. Only his death and the loss of the two thousand men of The Hesperian Royal Guard, coupled with the distances involved allowed Livia to plead to the Emperor that Hesperia could not spare an army to join the march on Alnus, leaving the comparatively small Kingdom with a now rather respectable army of 30,000 men

Claudia herself had been betrothed briefly before her intended spouse had also ridden off to war, never to return. She smiled as Livia bounced her baby son in her lap. Livia's devotion to her son was already becoming legendary. Claudia considered it quite understandable as Livia's father, brother, and husband had all been legally killed. To add insult to injury had been the exile of their mother after Marcus's execution.

"Little sister is up to something," Claudia noted.

"Oh?" Livia asked. "What makes you say that?"

"Little sister has always been too eager to try to play like the boys to understand the kind of games that really run the Empire. Some time ago, she visited dear father, demanding to know what he planned to do about the invaders on Alnus Hill. The old bastard decided to have her take that troop of hers and scout around the place."

"And here I thought dear little Pina was his favorite. How callous. But since she doesn't seem to have died, I take it she fared better than poor King Duran," Livia remarked.

"Well, suddenly, she has returned to Sadera with 300 of her knights. Apparently, she tells father that some force attacked Italica, in County Formar and she had to leave the balance of her knights behind to defend it."

"I suppose that's possible."

"Yes, and it would fit in well with Pina's image of Noble Chivalry but not everything quite fits. You see, Pina is keeping the remaining 300 close to home at the Jade Palace while Pina herself has been throwing parties."

"That's unusual for her," Livia admitted.

"Yes. Of course, I pointed this out to father. He's no fool. He would have noticed soon himself if he had not already."

"That could be unfortunate for Pina."

"Not necessarily," Claudia smirked. "I suggested to dear father that he consider sending the Crown Prince to check up on her. He'll mull that around a bit I think. But a visit from the Hyena of Sadera ought to put a reminder into Pina not to be so careless. And alas, if she cannot outwit Zorzal, then there is nothing else to be done for her no matter how much our brother adored her."

"But if she does, then what do we do about whatever it is she is scheming at?"

"For now, nothing. I will learn what baby sister is playing at in due time. Diablos is the one I need to be careful of. He may not appreciate pawns but he at least recognizes the value of them. Once I learn what Pina is up to, we can decide what to do."

* * *

 **To Be Continued...**


	35. Chapter 24: The Ties That Bind

**Author Notes: Today, this story breaks 100K in length. This is by far the largest story I have ever attempted and it is in large part due to the great support I've had from my readers. Here's to the continuing journey! Thank You. I suppose I should also remember to note that I do not own GATE or its characters, M*A*S*H or its characters, or You Are Under Arrest or its characters. I'm just borrowing them for entertainment purposes only. Any other characters or properties readers might recognize are likewise only being borrowed for entertainment purposes only.  
**

 **With that said, we continue...**

 **The Janus Campaign**

 **The Ties That Bind**

 **Italica**

Panache studied the palomino mare with the sharp eye of a true horse connoisseur and smiled. "This horse is a good gentle mannered horse. She's well suited to a beginning rider." Panache gently patted the horse and smiled at Taylor. "Have you chosen a name for her?"

Taylor nodded. "I had quite a few ideas but I think I'll call her 'Lexington" The name has an auspicious history in our navy."

"Ah! Well, she's no match for my 'Imperator' but she'll be a sturdy and steadfast mount."

"Of course we'll be driving to Alnus, so…"

"Part of the way my dear Taylor," Panache corrected. "It was Lady Octavia's desire for her heir to learn some of the more traditional skills that will be required of the next Count of Ravenna. I would like to assure her that I am taking every opportunity to provide the proper instruction."

Taylor sighed as Aenaire smirked and Aurelia nodded in firm agreement. Aurelia's presence was mandated by custom while Aenaire wished to check on how Tuka was doing. With Galador looking on from the truck, sitting next to Yeoman Locke who, since her experience in Tokyo, still greatly resembled an elf with her helmet covering most of her ears, Taylor knew he was mousetrapped. _I can't argue that the lessons aren't important. I'm supposed to be a good example._ "Of course, my lady."

"And his skills with a sword?" Bozes asked slyly.

"We'll discuss that later." Panache replied not missing a beat. "For now, let us begin the ride to Alnus. We'll pause at high sun and then you may rest, My Lord," she told Taylor. Aurelia, Aenaire, and Galador would ride with Yeoman Locke clear through to Alnus

 _Itami, you are one lucky bastard. THESE girls are organized!_ Taylor thought for only the briefest moment. Then reconsidered. _Nah! I'm lucky.  
_

* * *

 **Camp Augustus**

Colonel Mihara was, in Lady Octavia's view, a _civilized_ woman. Civilized by Octavia's opinion meant something very different from the typical Imperial noble. To most of them, 'civilized' was an exclusively Imperial trait. Octavia was aware that Emperor Molt, on the other hand, felt that 'civilized' meant tamed. Colonel Mihara was neither of these things. Instead, Mihara was calm, thoughtful, precise and mannered. She was also the farthest cry from the overbred cretin who had immediately preceded her. The less Octavia considered Lieutenant Fallon, the better she had long decided with the exception that it was good to know that the people on this side of the GATE had their fair share of opportunists, morons, and people whose brains only existed to keep their skulls from collapsing.

Presently, Felicia brought in tea and sandwiches. The sandwich was one of those Earth inventions that delighted Octavia in its absolute simplicity and brilliance. She, like most of her family, was partial to 'roast beef' while Mihara favored something called 'corned' beef.

"I understand that your husband will be getting out of the hospital soon," Mihara noted.

"Yes. That does mean I'm more than a bit concerned about him being sent to Camp Charon."

"The doctors won't likely agree to that. Camp Charon has adequate medical facilities for ordinary needs but sending recovering cases such as your husband's there would probably not be a good idea." The Colonel took a sip of tea and considered. "Such a case would normally be a case for parole or perhaps Princess Pina might arrange for his release."

"I don't think so," Octavia shook her head. "She needs to get the maximum use of those releases to curry some favor with their kin in high places. The Legate is quite powerful in the military itself but politically, he is vulnerable. Not only with there be those who would attempt to pin the blame for the 'Great Expedition' failing on him, but his appointment to lead the expedition was also more of a political compromise. Both Prince Zorzal and Senator Godasen wanted this command. It was given to my husband to deny it to either of them." Octavia sighed. "And also to 'prove' to the army that the Emperor still trusted its ranking commanders even after His Imperial Highness removed Prince is not coincidental that my youngest was named in his honor. But with the Imperial Prince gone and many who will wish to cast blame upon his shoulders, he has few political allies."

"I thought your House was rather influential?"

"My House, House Octavus is very old and respected. Unfortunately, House Germanicus is not politically significant. You must understand that all the lands and fortune of my husband's name, he earned himself. His family is of the Optimates but not Patrician. One day, Antonius and Marcus will inherit quite substantial estates and wealth but little political power. That will be in the hands of their brother."

Seeing the opportunity to ask the question which had heretofore had gone unasked, Colonel Mihara leaned forward. "And just how and when it was that you decided that you were going to adopt a serving officer of the United States Navy? Completely on your own accord as I am quite sure I understood from Senior Chief Richardson that Taylor was quite surprised when you told him he was now your son. Why give that to a stranger instead of one of your own sons?"

Octavia smiled. "Not so strange but the truth is that House Octavus was never going to go to Antonius or Marcus. You see, I mentioned that my husband is not of Patrician blood. This mattered little to a rebellious young woman looking to avoid being married off to some dimwitted son of a Great House but it was everything to her father. When I married Germanicus, my father inserted a clause in his will that his titles and lands could not be inherited by a son of Germanicus. He left it so that I would serve as keeper of those lands and titles so if even after he died, I 'came to my senses' and produced an heir not of Germanicus' blood, that son could inherit House Octavus."

"A charming man, your father."

"And one who regretted not having a son my entire life. Imagine my feelings when the necessity of preserving my family's future met the joy of being able to satisfy my father's will in such a way that if he were to rise from his grave and see what I've done, he'd slit a vein all over again! I can't pass his lands or titles to the sons I bore, sons born of the Empire but Imperial law is so full of assumptions that I can adopt an heir as long as he is human and he can inherit everything! Even if he is a 'barbarian from another world', who is as far from my father's mindset as possible. Once I was assured my children would be safe here, I decided to protect their future when we return home by trusting a man I do see like my own son. Every courtesy and kindness reaffirmed his character and my choice to not only protect my children, and give those things I could not to them at least they could go to a worthy person. Octavia grinned. "It also allows me the chance to give a fond salute to all those self-centered, egotistical half-wits my father wanted me to marry and who are now running around Sadera trying to figure out how to 'win the great war against the barbarian hordes'!"

"I see." Mihara raised an eyebrow. "And tying him to Lady Panache?"

"THAT was the happy gift of providence! I will rejoice in the implications but I cannot take credit for it. Those two are self-tying. They didn't need my help."

* * *

 **Alnus Hill**

The trip to Alnus provided plenty of opportunities for Taylor to become accustomed to his new mount and the proper care required. He also understood that it was also important for the bond between horse and rider. On reaching Alnus, Taylor first reported in with Colonel Lowe, Aurelia following right behind him while Aenaire went in search of Tuka accompanied by Yeoman Locke. After joining a short meeting in General Hazama's office in which Panache carefully outlined her request to salvage abandoned Imperial armor, Taylor headed for the camp post office, picking up several packages, three of them he had ordered some weeks earlier but most actually just before the group left Italica. Two-day express shipping was indeed a marvel of the modern world. Stowing everything in the Humvee, they soon caught up with the rest of their party, including Aenaire who had no success finding Tuka, at a recently opened inn in Alnus Town. Bozes, Panache, and Nikolasha were seated with Merisa, who had been acting as an observer in Alnus.

"Plotting some nefarious scheme to overthrow the Earth?" Taylor teased lightly.

"Oh no, My Lord," Panache returned. "Her Highness's plans for conquering your vastly more powerful civilization are already well underway. In the meantime, there _is_ a little project Her Highness wanted us to take care of. Several of us are learning Japanese. Incidentally, Her Highness has asked us to translate some of her recent art purchases. Not only for her own benefit but Her Highness believes there may be a market for such art in the Empire." All this was true, Panache reflected. What she could not say was that this was merely a cover for passing messages and shipping any other interesting bits of information along. This idea conceived when Pina had noticed how uncomfortable the professional soldiers of the JSDF had become around such material. She hoped and would have been relieved to know that the average American soldier shared his Japanese counterparts' discomfiture around Pina's 'Art'. The fact that the technically more advanced people of the other world tended to be so culturally constrained on such points was a source of amusement and an opportunity.

It would have astounded the personnel assigned to the Starbase just what Pina and her people thought might be useful in their quest to better understand them. Many periodicals left haphazardly in lounge areas and the like were to be collected and scoured. The English ones were easiest to translate but also helped identify areas where the High Tongue differed from its American, British, and Australian cousins. Of course, virtually the entirety of this information could have been had openly for the asking but Pina believed there was something to be said about others not being aware of just how much one might know. Certainly, such efforts conducted while the Imperial mages were still working on stabilizing the Gate for the Expedition might have saved the Empire a great deal of misery if any attempt to learn about their intended victim had been made beyond abducting and interrogating a few helpless citizens from out of the shadows as Pina now suspected had occurred. To Pina, anything which gave her a clearer picture of the other world could be useful.

"Ah!" Taylor and Panache knew that there were things that their respective positions required them to keep from each other. It was in their love and respect for each other that they each refrained from prying. Of course, if either of them or their associates did let something important slip, the other had an obligation to report it to their superiors. But they would in no way encourage each other to compromise their oaths. "Well, then we won't interrupt. Just let me know when you're done and I can enjoy your company for dinner."

"It would be our pleasure, My Lord." Panache smiled and nodded, then turned to Dora, the Vulpine waitress who had come to take their table order for drinks. Fortunately, there was nothing that would be particularly time-consuming that needed to be addressed before Panache and her friends could set aside their professional duties for the day. As for tomorrow, General Hazama had said that he expected he would likely be given permission to release the requested quantities of armor as part of the Pacific Allies' obligation to assist in the defense of Italica. What had surprised Panache and perhaps more than it should have she reflected, was when General Hazama informed her that nearly six thousand sets of armor were already in storage on the base."

In the meantime, Taylor was mildly surprised to see Mari Kurokawa walk in the door. Apparently, she was as surprised to see him there as well. "Ah! Lieutenant! It's good to see you. I was just getting dinner." She glanced over at Aenaire as she took a seat at the next table.

"Is something wrong, Mari?" Taylor was off duty and he considered Kurokawa a friend. Something in her eyes concerned him.

The medic looked over at Aenaire and nodded. "It's Tuka. Every day, in the late afternoon, she starts looking for her father, just wandering the streets of Alnus as if she expected to find him waiting somewhere for her to take him home."

Aenaire shook her head. "I think that without my son," she said gently stroking his hair. "I would be in even worse shape. Even now, I find it hard to accept that my brother and almost everyone I ever knew is gone. Maybe I was too hasty in leaving Alnus."

"No," Taylor replied. "You can't second guess yourself. Tuka seemed to be handling things well enough. Her attachment to Itami seemed to give her the anchor she needed. Have you talked to Itami about this?"

"He's been off base a lot lately."

"Talk to him but my opinion is that this can't go on. I think Tuka needs to talk to a professional. What she's going through is a real problem and she needs real help. I think that will work best if the people around her get behind her on this."

Mari nodded, relieved that someone understood her concerns. She hoped Itami would understand too. "Thank you, sir."

"Of course. So? How is everyone in Third Recon doing?" Taylor changed the subject.

"Mostly the same as always," Mari admitted. "Shino is still looking for a man who isn't intimidated by her."

"The ones who aren't intimidated by her are usually the ones dumb enough to fight her. No future in that," Taylor replied.

"She also got a letter from her sister. She's a journalist who's been picked to join the first pool of reporters that are going to be allowed into Janus."

"Well then, we can hope to have at least one friend among the Fourth Estate. What about Kurata?"

"Still the same. He's been bugging Itami for a pass to go see Persia."

"'What's new pussycat', indeed." _If he's not careful, it'll be 'Cat Scratch Fever'._ And," He smirked, catching Panache's eye and looking over at Bozes. "What about Tomita?"

Mari caught the gleam in Taylor's eye. "He's back in the barracks with the next two days off."

"Interesting," Panache noted."Maybe we'll run into him sometime. Wouldn't that be nice?" She said, looking to Bozes who turned bright red.

"Ah! Yes!" Bozes hastily replied.

 _And Panache takes this round,_ Taylor thought with satisfaction. But thinking about Tuka made him think about something else that had been on his mind lately. He looked to Galador. "Ladies… There were some packages that I picked up when we got in. I was going to let them wait but I think now is a good a time as any." He stood up. "Excuse me a moment. I just need to retrieve them. I'll be right back."

Everyone waited curiously while he retrieved a number of items from the truck. One long and oddly shaped case he set in front of Aenaire. "Originally I had ordered this for you because I knew you could use it. I know you fashioned one for yourself but…" He opened the case. A new bow resting in it.

"Covert Hunter recurve bow. I hope it will do until we can get a proper elven bow made for you."

Aenaire studied it carefully. While the crude bow she had fashioned to hunt game around Alnus with was adequate for the job, she had to admit she missed the balance and craftsmanship of her old bow, now gone. This one was not the same as the bows her father and his father before him had carried but it still seemed well made and the woods were of good quality, although not of types she was readily familiar with.

"Thank you," She smiled and threw a wicked glance at Panache. "I believe Lady Suissesse and I will have an appointment on the archery range when we get back home."

"It should be interesting," Bozes mused.

"Then as we got ready to come here, it seemed unfair that I should not also have something for the other ladies in my life," He looked to Panache and then set a small bottle of perfume on the table. "I couldn't help thinking about us and well… The marvel of the internet when I typed in our names, it came up with this: Panache perfume by Taylor of London. I certainly hope that it lives up to the quality of its name."

Panache smiled and then chuckled at the universe's little joke. Next Taylor turned to Aurelia. "As my assigned keeper, I think this suits you." He opened up a wooden case and Aurelia saw the blade carried inside.

"It's called a 'kukri' and it's carried by the Gurkhas, some of the fiercest and most respected warriors in my world."

"It's like the blade my mother had," Aurelia said in wonderment. At a nod, she took the weapon from its case. "The balance is excellent, My Lord. The angle is a little sharper than my mother's blade and the forging seems exceptional. I will be honored to carry this in your name."

Taylor smiled. "The honor is mine." He then set three identical boxes out, one each in front of Aenaire, Aurelia, and Panache. "I got one of these for each of you."

Each lady inspected the silver chain and pendant she received. Though each chain was identical, the pendants differed. Aurelia's was a rabbit cradled in a half moon. Aenaire's held a unicorn, and Panache's carried a silver dragon.

"Just a token. Soon maybe I can give you the rings I want to. A year ago I didn't see anyone in my life. Now I want all of you to be with me." He paused. "But I have one last present and I've been thinking hard about this." He set the last box in front of Galador. "Open it."

The boy did, his eyes lit in surprise, recognizing Taylor's watch. He then noticed that Taylor was wearing a different watch now.

"Now it's yours. And what it means is that if you want, if no one here objects I mean but if you and your mom want, I would like to be your dad. Is that alright with you?"

With Panache and Aurelia nodding their assent and his mother's face lit with a smile, Galador nodded and hugged him fiercely.

Taylor expected there would be questions, paperwork, and headaches involved but he didn't care. _A child should have a dad.  
_

* * *

Hours later, at the communications center, Taylor picked up a phone and dialed. If his math was right, it was late morning in the States. The phone rang three times. He knew that old familiar ring. His mom still used a corded phone and had sworn never to buy a corless phone, or a cell phone either for that matter. " _Sometimes I don't WANT people being able to reach me,"_ she had said more than once _._ Fortunately, this wasn't one of those times and she picked up after the third ring.

"Hi, mom. It's daylight there, isn't it?"

" _Yes. It's a little after eleven. I was just making myself some coffee."_

He nodded in relief at the reply. "Good. I wouldn't have wanted to wake you. So? Coffee like always? Six tablespoons of coffee and two cups of water?"

" _Muddy water and turpentine!"_ She laughed at the old joke. A maintenance man at her apartment complex had taken a sip of her usual brew. The twenty-something simply couldn't take a cup that strong.

"That's good. Um… Mom?"

" _What's wrong?"_

"Nothing… But some things have happened. Um… If I take care of the rent and get you a ticket… I really would like you to fly out to Tokyo."

" _Tokyo? Well, you do remember I don't speak Japanese, don't you?"_

"Yeah, And you don't speak the Queen's English either but that won't be a problem. I just… Like I said. Things have happened and I want to see you. It's a lot to explain but I think it will make more sense in person than trying to tell you on the phone."

" _How long?"_

"I don't rightly know. I'm hoping it will be a long stay. So pack anything you think you might need or want. Maybe take a camera. And a couple of notebooks."

" _Okay. You can tell me everything when I get there. When do you want me to fly out?"_

"Give it two weeks?"

" _Alright. Sounds good! So? Hotel?"_

"I'm going to see if I can get a few rules bent. If I can, it should be a bit more enjoyable than a hotel. You haven't threatened to shoot any dumbass crooked politicians lately, have you? I have to tell you there may be some people taking you seriously if you have."

" _No more than usual."_ Taylor could practically see the smirk on his mother's face." _Just let me pack my slingshot!"_

"I have a feeling you'll fit right in here, mom."

" _I've always wanted to fit in somewhere!"_

"Well, I'll get things set up and I'll call you later. You have a good day, okay?"

" _You too. Be careful out there."_

"I will. I love you, mom."

" _I love you too, son."_

"Bye." He hung up. That was always the hard part. But as he did so, a warm hand rested on his shoulder. It was Panache. Aenaire and Aurelia were standing behind her. Taylor smiled gently looking at the women he had come to love.

"Thanks." He said simply.

"You are welcome. Now I think we should all get some rest. It has been a busy day And I expect tomorrow will be as well."

* * *

 **To Be Continued...**


	36. Chapter 25: A Cry For Help

**Today Yao and Nayu reach Alnus.**

 **Also, to answer a couple of questions:**

 **A Guest Reviewer asked why the Alnus base was referred to as 'Starbase'. Well, since the base is laid out in the shape of a six-sided star, it's an obvious reference. Americans also nickname Alnus Base as Fort Defiance.**

 **Also, Fer82: Taylor's parents divorced when he was fourteen.**

* * *

 **And here we go!**

 **The Janus Campaign  
  
Chapter 25: A Cry For Help.**

 ** **Sadera, Palace of Zorzal El Caesar****

The Prince was in one of his moods again, Tyuule thought grimly. Though named heir to the Imperial throne, Zorzal had been systematically excluded from the governance of the Empire. According to Bouro, even Princess Pina had been given _some_ assignment in regards to the current war. Even if it was mere 'busy work', it was more than Emperor Molt had been willing to entrust to his heir. Objectively, of course, Tyuule could understand this. She would not trust the Prince to supervise a chariot race at the Maximus by himself, let alone anything of importance.

In practice, however, this was highly inconvenient to her plans. She was well aware that Bouro was merely using her. He was oily enough but he lacked the means to manipulate Zorzal. So for the moment, he needed Tyuule, who had learned just how to stroke Zorzal's massive ego while providing him with the sense of power and conquest that he craved. And for now, Tyuule needed Bouro and his network of agents. So she pretended to believe that Bouro did not have a completely different goal than she did. He could claim to her all he wanted that as an outcast of Imperial society, he wanted to see it all destroyed but that was a lie. There was a difference between the two of them. Tyuule had been a true ruler. She had loved her people, fought for them, with them. She had delivered herself into the hands of their enemies in an attempt to save her people. She had suffered for her sins. She had been broken to rock bottom and knew the bitter taste of defeat. Not just defeat but total, _soul-crushing_ defeat. The knowledge that sometimes all, was in fact lost.

Bouro, on the other hand, was even as an outcast, still an Imperial at heart. He truly believed the propaganda that the Empire had never been defeated and would always be victorious in the end. Of course, he needed to believe it, for his own plans meant nothing if there was no Empire for him to rule.

The two of them had secretly discussed this more than once in the past months that the armies of the Empire had been brutally smashed by whatever enemy they had provoked from across the Gate. Of course, the Empire admitted no such defeats in public but it was still spoken in quiet whispers among the powerful. Further, the Imperial Throne had released no list of glories. There were no triumphs for victorious generals. Instead, the public was merely told that the Empire needed more men to prosecute the war and drive the last remnants of the barbarians from the sacred soil of Alnus and humble the barbarians. No mention had been made to the public of the hundred thousand men who were supposed to be _conquering_ these barbarians already or the next hundred thousand who had been slain attempting to prevent these barbarians from establishing a foothold in the most sacred heart of Imperial territory. Nor was it mentioned how Molt had sent the armies of the Empire's 'allies' to slaughter. Based on this, the average Imperial citizen could be excused for believing the war was progressing satisfactorily. Bouro and Tyuule had discussed the rumors and reports from his operatives and they agreed that all evidence indicated that the Empire had bitten off much more than it could chew. The difference was that Tyuule could see in his eyes that Bouro really did not believe it. She understood what he did not: Once an army was broken in the field, it could not simply be replaced like a torn tunic. Warriors took time to train and they needed equipping. This equipment needed to be crafted and it all costed money. Unless the enemy was much more badly damaged than she thought, there was no real fighting force capable of stopping this enemy.

No, Bouro simply could not accept this, despite the evidence before him. Bouro wanted to undermine the current rulers of the Empire but not the Empire itself. He intended to take advantage of the current situation but in the end, he needed the Empire to prevail. Tyuule wanted to see the whole hated thing burn. For now, the two were allies, using each other for their own ends. She was sure that Bouro would betray her when it suited him just as she planned to toss his broken corpse atop the Empire's blazing pyre.

But plans for the future were a luxury to be entertained outside of the wrath of Zorzal. And shunted aside by his father and left to his own devices, the Prince stalked his personal palace like a spoiled, petulant child looking for ways to ease his boredom. His current tantrum seemed to be something in the kitchens. At least that wasn't too likely to bring her much extra grief. She would listen solicitously as he complained, decry the incompetence of whomever he was upset with and suggest that they needed to be taught a lesson. If he declined, she would praise his magnanimity and if he punished the 'offenders', then he would derive enjoyment from it, be pleased that she agreed with him and divert his wrath away from her. And not incidentally… From the other slaves as well.

If she had a people any longer, they were her fellow slaves. They accepted her as the leader among them, followed her instructions, and she protected them as best she could. Sometimes with her own body. This was especially true of Noriko. As she had told Zorzal, so carefully on more than one occasion that Noriko was far too delicate a flower for his normal methods. He was used to instant obedience and any failure to promptly comply with his demands was usually met with violence and for a period of almost a week, Zorzal had set about teaching this to his newest 'toy'. Tyuule had taken a risk of incurring Zorzal's wrath by interfering but his wrath was nothing he had not already inflicted upon her. Of course, she did not intend to risk angering him enough so as to endanger her own life. Death would be so inconvenient to her plans after all. But she promised the Prince that she would teach the girl how to please him better and in return, Noriko had been moved to Tyuule's room where Tyuule had taught her carefully to obey and endure. She treated the girl's wounds, threatening guards and the healers with Zorzal's displeasure if Noriko was not well tended. And soon, she had the girl's trust. Her Delicate Flower talked to her about the world beyond the Gate and its marvels and Tyuule quickly understood that the Empire could not hope to match that kind of power.

Recently, Tyuule had told her that her people had an army in Falmart. "Do not speak or think of this in the Prince's presence but know they are coming. One day they will come here and you will tell them how I have cared for you." She smiled. "That is all I ask."

But right now, as she watched Noriko sleeping, curled up on her cot, Tyuule only wondered one thing: _Where were the Japanese?_

* * *

 **Alnus**

"Alnus!" Yao breathed, looking down from the hill which the new residents called 'SugarLoaf'.

"Finally!" Nayu agreed. Walking down to the town's main gate, the two were soon able to relate their situation to the members of the Civic Guard who were manning the gate alongside PA troops. Facilitation of communication with all new arrivals was a primary concern here and while Yao was not exceptionally fluent in Popularii, Nayu spoke it well. Yao would learn soon enough, Nayu knew. Most elves had a knack for languages. Excellent hearing and memory were only part of the reason why this was so but the important thing was that the two Vietnamese soldiers who had drawn gate duty this morning were able to quickly relay the situation up the chain of command to General Hazama, who agreed to meet with the Dark Elf representatives later that afternoon. First, however, the two would need to go through the standard medical examinations before entry, then they would wait.

* * *

General Hazama frowned slightly when he received the report from the gate. Ever since Recon Three's encounter with the Flame Dragon, Hazama and his subordinate commanders had been drawing up plans to handle another encounter with the beast. And now, it seemed someone had come to ask for their direct aid and intervention against the creature. But before directly entertaining any such possible requests, the general would meet with Colonel Lowe where they would discuss both the current operational plans for dealing with the creature and the current political climate and potential repercussions of any plans

Hazama looked up at Lieutenant Yanagida. "We'll need a guide to accompany our guests until we are ready to receive them. Lieutenant Taylor is back from Italica. He has the most experience in dealing with the local races. Get him over to the town gate Let him get a sense of our two visitors."

"Yes, sir." Yanagida was inherently uncomfortable at this. He and Taylor held an innate distrust of each other. Well, there was at least one thing to be done. Itami might be an irritant but he was loyal to the JSDF. And it was not as if Itami did not have some of the same qualifications as Taylor and surely a second set of eyes and ears would be of value. So he went to find Itami, searching to find him unsurprisingly lounging at his desk.

"Itami! We have visitors waiting down at the Alnus Town gate. They'll require guides until the General sends for them. First, go find Lelei and then find Taylor and you two will talk and observe with our guests."

"Can't Taylor handle it?"

"Just get out there," Yanagida replied. "This may be important."

Itami sighed. He quickly found Taylor out on the firing range with Aurelia and Aenaire. Aenaire was getting accustomed to the new recurve bow Taylor had given her while Aurelia watched with displeasure as Taylor took aim down range with the rifle he had just received, his shoulder already bruised from previous firings Aurelia being somewhat relieved when the range master ordered 'cease fire!' as Itami and Lelei approached.

"Taylor! What are you doing out here with that thing?" Itami gestured to the massive weapon Taylor had just set to safety.

"I'm not going to get caught helpless again, Itami."

"Yeah, I guess not." Itami shrugged. "Anyway, Yanagida says we've got some special visitors at the town gate. We're supposed to go down and talk to them and guide them around until the General sends for them."

"Right. Well, just let us secure our gear. And we'll all take a walk." After a few minutes, Taylor gestured to Itami to lead the way.

"So where's the other third of your better half?" Itami asked in amusement.

"Lady Panache is busy overseeing the recovery of a thousand sets of armor from storage and after that, she's repatriating a few horses. Hopefully, she'll be able to join us for dinner this evening." Taylor quirked an eye at Itami. "And what about your entourage?"

"What do you mean?"

"Come off it! Tuka adores you. Rory looks at you like a lioness sizing up an antelope, and Lelei… " He smiled at the young mage with a twinkle in his eye.

"What about Lelei?" Itami asked, paying more attention to her

"She'll let you know when she's ready," Taylor smirked as Lelei blushed slightly with a small smile.

"I'm not the one trapped in the middle of a harem anime," Itami protested.

"That's what you think." A few minutes later, they were at the gatehouse, where they were met with the two Dark Elves. Aenaire greeted them in her native tongue.

 _"Hello. I am Aenaire, this is Lelei La Lelena. We will translate. You are from Schwarz Woods, aren't you?"  
_

Yao bowed sharply. _"I am Yao Haa Dushi."_ She gestured to her companion. _"This is Nayu Haa Nin. We have come seeking the aid of the Green Men because of ..."  
_

 _"The Flame Dragon,"_ Aenaire said with certainty.

 _"Yes,"_ Yao replied _. "We have heard the Green Men wounded and drove the beast off. Without their help, the remaining eight hundred elves of Schwarz Woods will not survive for long."  
_

 _"It is true. My son and I were rescued from our village after the dragon attacked. Only three of us survived. These men,"_ She gestured to Itami and Taylor. _"Rescued us and then helped the nearby Coda village evacuate. The dragon attacked the evacuation. I saw it fly off minus an arm."  
_

 _"So,"_ Nayu quirked her head, appraising Taylor and Itami. _"The stories are true after all."  
_

 _"Yes,"_ Lelei replied. _"It is so."  
_

 _"Please!"_ Yao entreated _. "We MUST have their help!"_ She took out a large bag from under her cloak _. "We will offer everything we have to those that can destroy this beast!"_ She opened the bag to reveal a perfectly shaped champagne colored pearl measuring some thirteen inches in diameter. Aenaire inhaled.

 _"The Dragon Seed,"_ Aenaire breathed. Lelei's eyes went wide. It was a treasure so valuable that one could literally buy their own kingdom with it.

 _"Yes,"_ Yao answered. _"We will give this. We will give our bodies. We will give anything we have But we must have the aid of the Green Men."  
_

Aenaire nodded and translated. Taylor looked at Itami. "We'd help in a heartbeat if it was our call to make. But that will be up to General Hazama. I expect right now he's reviewing what we already know about that thing and the latest plans to deal with it. I won't make promises but I think he'll decide to help. That creature puts a lot of innocent lives at risk." He smiled.

"So! Until the General calls for us, you join us for lunch. You can tell us more about your people and your village while we eat."

Nayu and Yao nodded to each other. At least they had made contact. They had been promised a chance to make their case. Until then, they had to wait. Of course, Nayu actually relished the opportunity to see these people in a social setting.

They encountered Rory and Myuute on the way to the Silver Gryphon Inn and Tavern, just in time to see Delilah bodily toss out a drunken patron who had gotten just a little too frisky for his own good.

"Is everything alright Delilah?" Rory asked, glancing at the drunk who was shaking his head as if trying to understand what had just happened.

"Just fine. As long as he goes home and sleeps off the ale."

"Sounds reasonable," Rory replied. She then looked at Itami and the two Dark Elves. "So… Are you trying to get rid of me, Youji? How cruel of you to play with a young girl's heart and discard it so callously!"

Itami flinched, uncomfortably aware of Rory's knack for drawing attention. "Rory… It's nothing like that! Um… Why don't you join us? And you can see everything is fine."

Rory raised an eye at him as Myuute smiled. "I'll see you later Rory."

They went into the tavern and took one of the long tables. Rory as usual completely disregarded all notions of Itami's personal space as she sat practically in his lap, suspiciously eyeing Yao and Nayu _. "_ I don't blame you for being interested," she told them. "But this one is mine."

Taylor noticed as Itami and Rory did not, the stink eye that Lelei was giving the apostle at this.

Nayu glanced at the utterly confused Yao. _"I'll let you answer her, Yao." She scooted a bit towards Taylor and looked to Aenaire. "Are you bonded?"_ She asked indicating Taylor. _  
_

 _"Yes, I suppose you could say that. Aurelia, who sits on his other side,"_ She gestured to the tall Bunny Warrior. _"Is also to be with him as is the Lady Panache."  
_

 _"That's unusual."  
_

 _"Yes, but he needs the extra guidance,"_ Aenaire replied in amusement.

Taylor had the distinct impression he had just been zinged. He shook it off.

"So Itami? I saw Kurokawa yesterday."

"Oh?" Itami's tone was wary, having a good guess what Taylor wanted to talk about.

"Yes, she's worried about Tuka."

"I know. She came to see me this morning." Itami gave an uncomfortable look at Taylor. "I don't think we should intervene. Do we really want to take what she has left from her? Even if it's an illusion? At least she has that much." Just as he said that an uncomfortable thought rose in his mind. _She's fine now because she has us. But what happens later?_ But before he could voice these doubts, Taylor shook his head

"I don't see it that way, Itami." He said quietly. "According to what Kurokawa says, she's living in a fantasy world. That's not happiness. It's an addictive misery," Taylor said, speaking from a pain of his own.

As Itami considered this, Taylor continued. "If we can't be here forever, I don't see how that means we don't do what we can." He paused, looking at his hands. "I think we should do what we can to help others, not worry about what we can't do."

"Then she'll need a real counselor," Itami sighed. "I'll take care of it."

Then Rory smirked at Itami. "Now! Drink! We'll see to Tuka but you can't help her drowning in worry!"

Itami smiled weakly and took a drink. "For someone called Rory the Reaper, you have a kind heart."

Rory smiled serenely. "Death is merely a part of life. To have a good death, one must have respect for life."

"Respect for life, hmm?"

"That's right! And that includes not wasting it in needless woe! Especially when you could be spending those moments making me happy!" She leaned in closer, finished her ale and set it on the table.

Itami smiled just a little at this. "By the way Taylor, what was that you had out on the range earlier?" He noticed that both Aenaire and Aurelia gave disapproving glances at Taylor at the mention of this.

"Barrett M107. It fires a .50 caliber round."

Itami shook his head. "We had Browning M2s. Even they couldn't stop that thing."

"I know. But I couldn't swing anything bigger. And it'll stop most things around here. At least that oversized lizard would have felt it."

"Felt it and gotten mad. I'm not sure that's a good idea," Itami replied.

"Maybe not," Taylor conceded. "But I had to do something. There are days when I feel like a well-protected tourist out here."

Itami shook his head and leaned back lazily. "Everyone has their own strengths. Getting what the brass wants done with the least amount of exertion? That's my skill. You have a knack for dealing with people. Your problem is you want to fix everything. Some things are just too big."

"Maybe," Taylor admitted.

A few minutes later, Yeoman Locke walked in. "Lieutenant? You sirs and your guests are requested in General Hazama's office."

"Right," Taylor acknowledged. "Let's go, everybody! Olympus awaits!"

* * *

 **To Be Continued in Chapter 26: A Desperate Plight!**


	37. Chapter 26: A Desperate Plight

**In this chapter, we set off after Falmart's answer to "For thou art crunchy and go well with ketchup!" It should be noted that thanks to Nayu's skills with map and compass and an extra set of ears to help Yao gather information on where to go, they arrived at Alnus weeks earlier than in canon.**

 **Also props for those who know the reference in the titles of this and the immediate previous chapter.**

* * *

 **The Janus Campaign**

 **Chapter 26: A Desperate Plight**

Panache was not happy. The news that her intended fiance had been ordered to prepare and proceed into poorly mapped and possibly hostile territory with the goal of actively seeking out the single most dangerous creature in Falmart had not set well. What was worse was the fact that her responsibilities denied her the personal luxury of going off with him. Aenaire was likewise very unhappy.

"Why?' She asked.

"Because Itami and I are the two men most experienced in local contact situations and we're already both involved. Look," Taylor said gently. "Our orders are to make contact with Yao and Nayu's people, scout out the area. Get as much information as we can and leave the dragon slaying to a properly equipped task force." He touched Aenaire's cheek gently. "Nothing is going to keep me from coming back."

"William," Panache shook her head. "You have no one to whom you need to prove your courage."

"I'm going to come back. I promise. Besides, my mom is coming to Japan soon and if I die doing something stupid when I should be introducing her new grandson and the mothers of grandbabies yet to come, she'll dig me up and kill me."

"If she doesn't, I will," Panache promised.

"See? I have plenty of reason not to get myself killed. And… Aenaire? While Itami and I are gone. You and Galador need to look out for Tuka. Alright?"

Aenaire nodded. "We will take care of Tuka." She looked at Aurelia. "Take good care of our Lord?"

The Bunny Warrior nodded. "With all my strength and will."

Nayu watched them, wondering if this was anything like how her mother and father had been. Briefly, she envied them but she reminded herself that her people still waited for them. She and Yao would ride in separate vehicles, the great 'iron carriages' the stories had mentioned. Yao would accompany Itami while she would go with Taylor. Taylor had not explained his choice in the matter, though Nayu fancied that Taylor perhaps found her more appealing a companion than Yao, who for all of her virtues, was not so easily sociable as Nayu.

Taylor looked back at the team assigned to this scouting mission. Their instructions had been to keep the group as small as possible as they would be going well into the territory of one of the Empire's neighbor states, a nation still technically in conflict with the Pacific Allies but under the circumstances, that could not be helped until an official of appropriate rank could be contacted to discuss that nation's exit from the war. General Hazama had some inkling just where such a person might be found and intended to have a talk with him soon but that was information two junior officers did not need to know for now. The mission would be conducted by two vehicles and nine individuals: Lieutenants Taylor and Itami, Nayu and Yao, Lelei La Lelena acting as mission translator, and the Apostle, Rory Mercury who had merely told everyone it served her purpose and theirs for her to go, although Taylor still didn't quite get the point about the 'blood pact' Rory had made with Itami, claiming that his soul would belong to her if Youji died now. Yeoman Locke would drive the second vehicle, an M1152 ECV, and joining her, Nayu, Aurelia and Lieutenant Taylor would be Mari Kurokawa. Thus limiting the party to minimal size and still capable of continuing their mission should either vehicle become disabled.

* * *

With Nayu navigating, the journey which had taken the two Elves weeks of walking took roughly nine hours to travel from Alnus to Schwarz Woods.

"We're here," Yao announced. As Lelei translated, Itami nodded and thumbed the radio circuit.

"Yao says we're here."

" _Nayu confirms,"_ Taylor answered.

"Didn't know you spoke Elvish?"

" _A little. Nayu actually seems to do better at English though."_

"Roger that."

The two vehicles pulled up next to a large outcropping. There was no brush around. The only green was moss. Everyone got out slowly, cautiously.

Yao looked down into the valley below. "I'll let everyone know we're here." She began hopping her way down while Nayu and the others looked around.

"Everything looks so dead here," Kurokawa said quietly.

Nayu nodded. "There's no soil for anything to take root here. But then, that means there's nothing to burn." Nayu noticed movement on the rocks above them.

"Ban!" She exclaimed with happiness.

The older elf lowered his bow just a tiny bit as other elves kept their weapons leveled. "Nayu! Who are these people?"

"They're with the 'Green Men'! Yao and I have brought help!"

Any further comment was cut off as a huge shadow passed overhead, a guttural roar cut through the air.

"Meet and greet later!" Taylor shouted. "Find some rocks and take cover!" He turned to Aurelia. "I need your help!" He said and hurried for the ECV.

"Yes, my Lord." She followed behind him as, in the meantime, the Elves on the rocks above loosed a flight of arrows at the beast, while Itami raced for his vehicle, grabbing his rifle. Kurokawa and Locke following behind Taylor and Aurelia. As Kurokawa grabbed her medical kit, Locke snatched up both her M16 and Kurokawa's Type 64 rifle. Taylor grabbed his M4 Carbine and then pointed to the big M107.

"Grab that. Let me grab some shells."

Aurelia merely nodded and took the heavy weapon as if it were nothing. As Taylor took a box of .50 caliber rounds for the Barrett, he called to Itami. "Move it or lose it, man!"

"Yeah. Just a second!" Itami grabbed one of the Panzerfaust IIIs he had stowed onboard ever since the first encounter with the Flame Dragon.

While this was happening, Rory had opted to take the offensive against this particular opponent but quickly found her usually overwhelming advantages in speed and strength were easily shrugged off by this huge adversary who sent her flying, snatched up in mid-lunge and dashed into the ground. Only the Apostle's legendary resilience kept her from being reduced to paste, let alone remaining in the fight.

Lelei was also finding the beast a surprisingly difficult target. Perhaps the dragon was able to sense a surge of magical energy but for whatever reason, it maneuvered quickly in the air above them. In the meantime, the Dark Elves fired arrows as fast as they could, although some of them noticed as first Kurokawa and Locke and then Aurelia, Taylor, and Itami took cover and chose to emulate this strategy. This saved at least two elves as the monster descended on one of their brethren, standing in the open as they took cover.

Taylor took the rifle from Aurelia, the carbine laying on the ground at his feet. It would be useless in this engagement. The .50 cal was their only chance to make any impact on this fight. Loading it with an incendiary AP round, he took aim. Waiting for a moment when the dragon's good eye was fully fixated elsewhere, waiting for the creature to expose the one spot he had a chance to hurt it. Unfortunately, while dodging Lelei's attempts to engage and shrugging off Rory's attacks, the dragon noticed something familiar. The two large green beasts… It had seen such creatures before… The day it lost an arm. Bellowing loudly, it came crashing down on one, which satisfyingly collapsed under the dragon's massive feet. The other it slapped hard with its tail, the truck's frame buckled against a rock.

 _That's not good._ Taylor thought. Suddenly, to his right, he heard the distinctive 'whoosh' as Itami fired off the Panzerfaust. The shot went wide and Itami swore as the dragon glared at him. _There!_ Right where the rocket had taken off the dragon's left arm was exposed and not covered in scales. A shot there would definitely be felt. Taylor braced himself as best he could, took a breath. _Steady…_ He squeezed the trigger.

The dragon felt a burning pain where its arm had once been. The spot where it was torn off lit with searing agony. This was strange as it had not seen the fire of the thing that had taken its arm, nor the chatter that came with the numerous small stings, The injury was hardly serious, but it hurt This was enough. It had killed one of the small creatures and the two larger green beasts. Satisfied with the results and now distracted by its pain and still confronted by the tiny little creature that was furiously attacking it, the dragon flew off.

Everywhere, people looked around. "We're not dead," Itami breathed.

Helped to his feet by Aurelia and rubbing his shoulder, Taylor nodded, relieved to see Locke and Kurokawa rising from cover and Rory and Lelei walking up.

"Torr is dead," the elf Nayu called Ban said with regret. "But most of us are alive. Thank you."

"He dwells with Wareharun now," Rory consoled, referring to the Tree Goddess who was Spirit of the Forest. For it was said that even though this tribe pledged their worship to Hardy, Wareharun claimed all elves as her children.

Taylor picked up the Barrett. Aurelia held out her hand, her eyes broking no argument.

"You've had enough trouble with that thing for one day, My Lord."

"I don't suppose we can talk about this?" Taylor said as he handed the rifle to her.

With a small smile and eyes lit with satisfaction, Aurelia took the gun. "We can discuss this as much as My Lord wishes but this stays with me." She looked over at Kurokawa. "Would you kindly look to My Lord?"

"Alright. Where?" Mari asked.

"Shoulder," Taylor admitted. "That thing has a kick."

"Especially if you hold it wrong," Itami quipped.

"Bite me, Itami. I was aiming at a target two hundred feet up," Taylor defended weakly. "I hit it. I'd consider that the point."

Aurelia folded her arms as Kurokawa examined the shoulder. "And there are a few of us who would like you to keep yourself in one piece."

Taylor nodded. "You and this shoulder make convincing arguments."

Kurokawa frowned. "It'll be bruised for a while but that seems to the worst of it as long as you do nothing to exacerbate it. Use ice packs and aspirin." Kurokawa said, using her patented 'stern mother' look.

"Understood," Taylor replied mildly. He then looked over at where their vehicles now lay broken. "I hope there wasn't anything important in your truck, Itami. Because it's gone now."

"Only the other panzerfaust rockets we were carrying," Itami groaned. Not that the one he had gotten out had done any good.

"Our truck looks mostly intact. That means the rations and extra medical supplies should be good. Hopefully, the radio still works."

"Come!" Ban urged. "The rain will be here soon. I think you could use a warm fire after your journey," he told them.

"We'll be ready to go shortly," Taylor agreed. "I need to check the radios and make sure they still work. If not, we've got a serious problem. Itami? If there's nothing left to salvage from your truck, then start everyone gathering up the supplies from the ECV."

"Right," Itami agreed and took charge of unloading while Taylor did a radio check. Fortunately, while the radio in the truck was dead, the portable unit still worked. This meant their mission was essentially unchanged: Make contact, scout, and report.

After loading as much in the way of supplies as practical, everyone followed Ban down to the valley where a visibly relieved Yao was waiting for them.

"Is everyone alright?"

"Torr was killed," Ban told her and the waiting elders. "But the 'Green Men' did repel the dragon."

"Then if the gods will, perhaps Torr will be the last of our people to be so parted from us," Elder Bram replied. He then turned to the seven outsiders who had come to their aid. The Elders all recognized the vestments and blade of Emroy's apostle.

"Your holiness," Bram greeted, bowing with respect."Thank you for coming to this desolate valley."

"I have my reasons," she answered simply.

Taylor smirked at that and addressed the Elders as Lelei translated. "It is no surprise that an Apostle's reasons are her own. Known only to herself. As for the rest of us, our mission is to make contact with you, offer what help we can and provide our superiors with information so they can decide the safest and most effective means of killing that creature."

"Any of our warriors would give their lives if they could be of use in destroying the Beast," Elder Drah stated only to get a stern eye from Matriarch Kyas. The two had been philosophical opponents for centuries, with Drah believing that the 800-year-old clan mother was too radical while Kyas considered the 650-year-old junior Elder a bit too cavalier.

"Yes," Elder Kemm agreed, "We have heard that you had a great weapon called the 'Iron Cock' It is said this is the weapon that destroyed the Dragon's arm.

"Cock?" Itami looked confused. "Oh! The missile!" He sighed. "We had more with us but they were destroyed."

"That's probably for the best Itami," Taylor replied. "We're here to do recon for the folks bringing the heavy stuff, not make our own Quixotic attack that would probably get everyone killed."

"For the future of our tribe," a warrior named Met said, "We would gladly give our lives."

"Giving your lives isn't the point," Yeoman Locke answered. "Giving your lives and not killing that thing is the point. My training tells me that a dead warrior is just that: A warrior whose use and potential _as_ a warrior or anything else is now at an end. I'm trained to give my life if necessary to ensure the success of my mission or that in doing so, more of my shipmates survive. But I also trust that my officers," she looked at Taylor and Itami. "Will try to find a solution where I don't have to."

"Well spoken my dear," Kyas agreed. The Matriarch studying her carefully. "You remind me of Hodor. Where is your tribe, dear?"

"Sacramento," Locke smiled and removed her helmet, the human ears now visible. Kyas laughed.

"Caught me in a foolish presumption!"

"Yeoman Locke has had experience being mistaken for an elf, ma'am." Taylor smiled.

"I'll bet she has! Well! These old fools," she gestured to the rest of the Elders. "Know that I simply HATE to be wrong about anything! So… Is your Clan name Locke or Yeoman?"

"Yeoman is just my job and Locke is my family name. My given name is Sara."

"Well, Sara! You remind me of my second granddaughter."

"Oh? How many grandchildren do you have?"

Kyas smirked, looking at Nayu. The blood status of her first granddaughter being a sore point with some of the older members of the tribe. Kyas not only had not stopped her daughter from mating a human but had given her considerable encouragement. "One."

Elder Bram suppressed the tinge of exasperation at the Matriarch's behavior. He noted that Drah was managing to suppress his own annoyance if barely. This was good since Kyas would delight in any trace of having ruffled the proud Drah. It was problematic enough on those rare occasions when the Matriarch bothered to attend council but in front of outsiders and in the face of the greatest threat the tribe had ever faced, it was absolutely imperative that the Elders present themselves with calm and serenity.

"So, the question remains. How may we aid the Men in Green?"

"And what do you want in exchange for helping us?" Elder Drah asked not entirely able to keep suspicion out of his voice."

"We're here to help, not extort your people, said, I think what we want? Knowledge and just maybe some friends."

"A little knowledge can be a dangerous commodity," Kyas warned, interested in Taylor's answer.

"Knowledge is a tool and like all tools can be used for well or ill. Ignorance, on the other hand, is at least as dangerous if not more so and can only cause harm. So we prefer to seek the knowledge and take the possible consequences rather than choose ignorance."

"Wise words," The Matriarch proclaimed.

"Perhaps. But even a fool can sound wise," Drah commented.

"You're living proof of that," Kyas replied with amusement.

"Kyas… Please," Elder Bram entreated.

"Very well," Kyas turned to the outsiders. "There will be time to discuss our situation later. For now, we should at least offer proper hospitality to our guests."

Bram and Kemm nodded in agreement.

"Then let us welcome you properly after your long journey," Kyas told their guests. "I may no longer have idle centuries to wait but I think we can spare you until morning. For tonight, eat with us and rest." The Matriarch turned to Nayu. "Nayu, do go bring your mother. This is an auspicious day and I should like to share this meal with you both as well as our guests."

* * *

Even with limited supplies, the survivors of Schwarz Village were for the most part glad to have a reason to celebrate and turned out in force in the massive cavern that served as the temporary village's communal area. The language barrier proving not to be a serious detriment thanks largely to Rory and to Lelei's linguistic knack but also thanks to Nayu and her mother who both had more than a passing knowledge of Imperial English as well as Yao and Kyas who also both spoke it to a degree. Yao taking lessons from Nayu over the weeks as the pair had walked to Alnus and Kyas learning from Indras and her husband before his passing.

Of course, smiles needed no translating what-so-ever. Nor did the still uncomfortable glances from Elder Drah.

"Drah is a very proud Elf," Kyas noted. "He was once one of our best warriors but has always believed in our own self-reliance and avoiding getting involved with the problems of other races. The idea that we are now in the position of having to ask outsiders for help is a great wound to his pride and also, he fears what will become of our people and our culture and ways now."

"We're not here to destroy your people or your culture," Itami protested with Taylor, Kurokawa, and Locke agreeing.

Kyas chuckled. "You are kind-hearted but a little naive. Contact with you will inevitably be a catalyst for change. This valley is devastated. Even once the Beast of the Mountain is slain, it will be many years before Schwarz Woods recovers enough to sustain a village. The Empire is rather larger and more aggressive than it was the last time we had to leave Schwarz Woods. Wherever we go will be with someone else's consent and we will be hard-pressed to simply start from nothing. We will still need the assistance of others to get by, at least at first. Change will come. I tend to think it won't be so bad. But change can be frightening. Drah fears losing everything we are to what we must become."

"Not everyone is so afraid of change," Rory replied with a smirk, looking at Kyas and then to her progeny.

The Matriarch laughed. "My father taught me that 'if one does not wish to be swept away in the stream, one must understand its currents. Sometimes I wonder if he actually meant that literally as he did enjoy sitting on a rock, fishing but I've always encouraged Indras and Nayu to go and learn as much as they could about the world. Nayu is herself part of that change and with the arrival of people such as yourselves, I can only wonder what things she will see during the centuries of her life!"

Around them, it seemed that most of the members of the tribe were amicably disposed. A few even especially so as the young Komu practically fawned on Yeoman Locke, much to the amusement of some of his elders. Mari Kurokawa attracted more than a little attention of her own, especially from an Elf called Fen. In the meantime, Yao and Nayu were joined by two of their sister Rangers, Seymy and Yan. Both chatting away at length about their comrades' journey.

These more forward souls drawing a few disapproving looks from a few of their kin but this hardly dissuaded them.

As the evening drew on, Taylor found himself having to look beyond his scouting mission. He looked at Matriarch Kyas and Elder Bram. "Where will you go once the dragon is dead?"

"We aren't certain," Bram admitted.

"Then I have a suggestion..."

* * *

 **To Be Continued...**

 **So... Itami's rockets went bye-bye.**

 **A Real Shame.**


	38. Chapter 27: No Need For Dragons!

**And here we are! Back again with a fresh chapter. Of course, I do not own GATE or its characters.  
**

Read, Review, and Enjoy!

 **The Janus Campaign**

 **Chapter 27: No Need For Dragons!**

The next morning came all too soon as, after a quick breakfast of MREs, the scouting party again met with the Elders and several of the tribe's remaining warriors.

"We trust you rested well?" Elder Bram inquired.

"Yes, thank you," Taylor answered as Lelei translated.

"Now, what do you intend to do?" Elder Drah asked without further preamble.

"As we've said, our mission is to gather information. For instance, we were told that you have someone who knows where this thing lairs?"

"Yes," Kurow replied. "I will be glad to show you."

"How far?" Itami asked.

"About three days walk to Mount Tybe," the elf replied. "I was looking for sulfur to fume our fruit."

"Sulfur?" Taylor questioned as this seemed like a bad idea in so many ways.

"It's a way to preserve fruit," Lelei told him.

"Unfortunately, if it isn't done right, too much gets into the fruit and creates sulfuric acid," Mari Kurokawa noted. "Thankfully we use much safer means today in our world but in the late nineteenth century, it was quite common."

"Right. I better make a note of that. So, uh… yay for chemical preservatives, I guess?" He looked back to Kurow. "Anyway, you went to the volcano…"

"And I entered a cave on the side of the mountain. It exited out onto a ledge. That is where I saw it resting. As soon as I realized, I left as fast as I could."

"Good thinking," Itami noted.

"Our ten best warriors will accompany you there," Elder Bram noted.

Yao nodded. "Some you met yesterday but today allow me to introduce our finest warriors," She gestured to the group assembled and named them from left to right: "These are Met, Kurow, and Ban." These were clearly the most experienced warriors. Following them were "Fen and Nokk,"

"A deep pleasure," Fen said, taking Kurokawa's hand, placing a kiss on it, causing Mari to blush noticeably.

"Komu is our youngest."

"Hey!" the youngster greeted eagerly

"How old?" Itami asked.

"One hundred and fifty-four."

"Seriously?"

"I may be young but I can hold my own!" Komu hated being reminded of how junior he was to everyone else. He'd worked hard and he certainly didn't want to be teased in front of Locke. If the Great Goddess Herself descended to stand among them, Komu knew she would look like Locke.

"And here we have my sister Yan, Seymy, and you know Nayu and myself."

"A pleasure to meet you all," Itami greeted them.

"Alright," Taylor nodded. "I'll radio base and advise them of our plans,"

"One thing," Itami noted. "With the rest of the Panzerfausts gone, we're kinda scant on weapons if we run into that thing."

"We still have the M107 and the TOW launcher on the ECV survived. It's bulky but we can break it down and take it with us. I've got an M320 grenade launcher I can attach to my carbine and 40mm rounds including Pike missiles. You take the M320. I'll have the M107…"

"You will teach me to use that, my lord. I will carry it," Aurelia stated flatly.

As much as he hated it and wanted to object to this 'mutiny', Taylor considered that she might have a point. She could carry and handle it with ease." Alright."

Locke would carry the main radio unit and Komu would carry the spare battery. Yao would carry Itami's rifle. In the meantime, the TOW launcher was broken down for carrying. Finally, with Kurow in the lead, the group set off for Mount Tybe.

The first day's march was quiet and Kurow was able to find a spot near a small stream with plenty of ground cover. They set up the TOW launcher pointed in the general direction of Mount Tybe, the most likely threat vector.

After dinner, Itami quietly pulled Taylor aside.

"You seem pretty anxious for us to find that thing. Gotten tired of living? Rory could take care of that much simpler you know."

"You think I've got some sort of death wish?" Taylor chuckled without humor. "No. I'm terrified of that thing! But what am I supposed to do? Tell Hazama 'No thanks' when he sends us out here? So I put on a face and pretend I don't want to get the hell out of here. This is a job that needs doing and I can't ask anyone to go anywhere I wouldn't, so I pretend I'm a brave soldier when I'm neither." Taylor pointed a finger at Itami. "You put on a face too. You pretend you're a slacker, a salary thief… But you've put in the work. You're the guy who ought to be running this mission, not me."

"Yeah," Itami waved him off. "But I don't want to."

"Why? You put in the training and work… And that's it, isn't it?"

"What?"

"In your own way, you're as scared as I am. You don't want to be responsible…. Worse than that, you don't want anyone depending on you. But you know they will anyway so you train and then you pray you won't get noticed or that they'll see the fool."

Itami looked to where Lelei was talking at length to Yao. "It's a curse to have someone depending on you. You fail, then you have to bear their tragedy. It's not fair. Not to them, nor to yourself. It's better if they don't."

"Besides," He smiled. "I love my hobby. All this soldier stuff pays for it but really gets in the way sometimes."

"I love anime too you know. Just I have better taste!"

"Says you! Mei Company is awesome!"

"Meh… You've got no appreciation of the classics."

"Whatever," Itami dismissed. "So, when we get to Mount Tybe, what did you have in mind?"

"I had in mind asking the lazy ground pounder what to do... If he's up to it."

"I'll think of something," Itami promised.

"Good. You know, after this, I'll never be able to watch a Godzilla movie the same way again. It gives me an appreciation for those poor guys in the little wind-up tanks."

"You sound like Kuwahara," Itami shook his head.

"What can I say, he knows his stuff. Anyway, I'll take the first watch tonight. Get some rest, I'll wake you in four hours," Taylor told him.

"Right then," Itami nodded and went to find a spot to lay down, leaving Taylor to look up into a night sky brighter than his world had known for two hundred years.

Overhead, the bright crescent of Janus's main moon, Eunomia shone down and Taylor could just make out the second moon, Irene just a little above the horizon. The third moon, Dicé, a tiny orb a mere three hundred and eighty miles across, would not be over the horizon for another hour or so. As he watched the sky, Aurelia came over.

"You should be resting," Taylor told her.

"Where My Lord and Love is, That is where I should be," Aurelia said simply and joined him in looking up at the sky. "The three sisters will be in full soon." she smiled. According to her mother, the night of the sisters was seen as especially blessed in the old faith and that Aurelia and her sisters, Corona and Argenta had been born on such a night. Her father claimed not to believe the ancient Bunny traditions, saying that 'Twelve petty meddling gods were quite enough' but she had caught him paying respects at her mother's altar a time or two. 'It couldn't hurt', he had said simply. Tonight, she felt there was more than some truth to it.

"Lady Panache is right," she said. "You have no need to prove your courage. You told Lord Itami that you were neither brave nor a soldier. What braver thing can one do than that which he is afraid of?"

"Listening in?"

"My Lord, with these ears, you are fortunate you don't murmur in your sleep." She smirked.

Taylor had to laugh at that. "Point taken."

As everyone else slept, the two sat together watching the ancient sky.

The journey resumed the following morning and over the next two days, the group made its way to within a mile of Mount Tybe. During this time, Aurelia and Yao received instruction in the handling of firearms when the party was camped. This was a contingency in case things went completely sideways and hopefully would not be needed For her part, Nayu asked everything thing she could about the world the 'Green Men' came from. Most of the warriors were similarly curious but for Nayu, it was like a part of her blood calling her.

Now, setting up camp only such a short distance, Taylor and Itami discussed their plans with the group.

"We'll stay here in concealment for now. We need to try and get a feel for when the dragon is home. When we see it, we use the radio to report what direction it's flying, when it comes back and if it returns from the same direction it departed in.."

Itami nodded. "Once we're confident enough to believe it won't just circle back, Kurow and I will investigate the cave he entered when he found the dragon sleeping. While we're there, I will place a homing beacon." He showed everyone a small electronic device.

"What does it do?" Nayu asked.

"It's like a call for a very large bird," Taylor smirked.

"I've never heard of a bird powerful enough to kill a dragon, let alone this dragon," Ban said.

"Princess Pina called them the 'Iron Pegasi'," Lelei told them, as interested as the elves to see the dragon destroyed.

"Get in, get out as quick as you can," Taylor reiterated. We'll have the TOW on standby and of course, Rory to run interference if necessary."

"So?" Itami asked Taylor. "Any idea what General Hazama has in mind?"

"Need to know and apparently we don't need to know."

"Great. We're the guys out here and we don't need to know," Itami sighed.

"I'm sure they'll tell us when it's all over."

* * *

 **Alnus**

In the days since Taylor and Itami had left, Aenaire stayed with Tuka. It was good to see Tuka again. It was a happy reminder of simpler days. But at the same time, Aenaire could not help but think of Tuka's father. While none would have dreamt of speaking of it to Tuka, Hodor had a wandering eye, much as Galador's father Faen had. The two men were known for going on months-long journeys to 'trade' and explore the countryside' and this continued for years until shortly after Galador turned twenty and Aenaire's husband simply had not come back. Hodor, at least, never abandoned Tuka. For whatever faults he may have had, Aenaire granted that he was devoted to Tuka.

At any rate, it would do no good to discuss Hodor's rumored indiscretions with Tuka but it did make Aenaire wonder if he had fathered any other children. Or had Faen? And did Faen yet still live? Surely if he still breathed, she would deny him.

At present, she put those thoughts aside. She smiled at Tuka as she listened to Tuka describe the wonders that she had seen in Tokyo.

"Such things! Perhaps Taylor will take us to see this 'Skytree Tower for ourselves! He and Itami will be back in a few days after all." She leaned forward. 'So? When are you going to tell Itami how you feel?"

Tuka blushed. "I'm not sure if he really feels the same way."

"Or is it that you're just a little intimidated by the Apostle? She certainly has her eyes set on him. So does young Lelei for that matter."

Tuka's eyes went wide as she considered this new threat. Aenaire laughed.

"First you must decide whether your positions are necessarily at odds or whether you have a common purpose."

"Like you and Taylor?"

"Precisely. "

"Maybe… But what would father think?"

Aenaire paused, thinking about how to reply. "Don't you think he would tell you to follow your heart? I'm certain your father would understand that."

Tuka brightened. "You're right! I love Itami! Father will understand!"

* * *

 **Near Mount Tybe**

Itami sneezed.

"Someone must be talking about you," Kurokawa noted as another day of observation wore on.

"Hmmm?" Rory inquired with a tilt of her head. Lelei also looked up with interest. Even Yao had a curious expression.

"It's an old superstition," Mari noted. "That when you sneeze, it means someone has been talking about you. I can't imagine who that might be though," Kurokawa indulged in the opportunity to tease Itami.

"I think we know," Taylor smirked.

Itami squirmed uncomfortably. "So? Um… Today seems to be going just like yesterday and the day before it. I think Kurow and I can scout the cave in the morning if everything stays constant."

"Right. You just remember not to hang around one second more than absolutely necessary."

"Yeah, yeah. You know, I think I'm older than you are."

"Older but not necessarily wiser," Taylor smirked.

"Ha."

"Anyway, Starbase seems to be especially interested in any behavioral changes observed today."

"They've already initiated .whatever it is they are planning," Itami concluded.

"Safe Bet. They probably want to make sure they can surprise that thing. They only get one first shot after all."

"Yeah. They mess that up, we're in real trouble," Itami replied.

"Well, let's hope not. I kinda have plans."

"So do I," Itami answered. "And they start with not being killed by a dragon."

At this time, a haughty laugh cut through the air behind them. "Then I suggest you run now mortal."

"Giselle!" Rory exclaimed.

"Surprised to see me, sister? You're supposed to become My Queen's wife. Yet, you so casually touch the skin of those dirty humans and also let them touch you. Don't you think that's unbecoming?

"I will _never_ marry Hardy!" Rory answered with all conviction.

"And yet, for some reason, you wait here so close to My Queen's domain. You really are a tease."

"Um…" Itami began. "Who are you?" Taylor groaned. Just as with Rory, Lady Octavia had mentioned the name, Giselle. The blue-skinned Draconian confirmed this promptly.

"I am Giselle! Apostle of Hardy And my Queen has directed me to bring Sister Rory." She advanced menacingly with her weapon at the ready.

"Go back home, Giselle. As you can see, we're busy. Of course," Rory said pointing her own weapon. "If you really want to fight me, I will oblige you and grant you the defeat you deserve."

Giselle laughed. "Normally, I would agree with you. That's why I brought my new pets." She raised her scythe and two large dragons landed behind her."

"Newborn dragons!" Yao exclaimed in alarm, realizing where they must have come from.

"I had to wake the Ancient Flame Dragon to make it bear eggs so I could tame them," Giselle said more impressed with her own exertions and ingenuity than concerned over any wider consequence of her actions. "With them by my side, we're stronger than you sis."

"YOU woke the Flame Dragon?" Yao demanded even as the other warriors of her tribe looked on.

Lelei nodded. "It would seem so." An undercurrent of anger suppressed beneath those words as she thought about the lives taken by the creature."

"Why did you do this to our tribe?" Yao exclaimed. "We, who have been always sincere in our thanks and prayers to Hardy! Why?"

"The Apostles don't hold any particular compassion for mortals," Rory answered. "Including me,"

"Exactly," Giselle agreed. "Elves and humans have no business butting into our affairs."

Taylor threw a quick look at Itami. "Everyone, stand down," he said carefully, slowly stepping back. "An Apostle against an Apostle is a fair fight. Not our place to get in the way."

"That's right, mortal. Leave and spare your lives this day," Giselle smirked

"Aurelia? Big gun on blue. Lelei check red. Itami… get your Toes moving. Everyone else, back up slowly. We wouldn't want to upset the little ones. That would be bad." He looked to Rory, pulling out a cinq. "We're betting on you. But I'd open it up if I were you"

"Very wise," Rory smirked reading their intent, then looked at Giselle. "Shall we begin?" Rory opened with a rather impressive leap over and behind Giselle. "A bit more room is better."

"Towato! Mowto! Get her! Don't go easy on her," Giselle ordered, directing her pets forward at Rory.

As expected, Giselle now completely dismissed the presence of the mortals behind them as being irrelevant. With Aurelia hefting the big Barrett M107 as if it were nothing, Taylor carefully guided her aim. "Careful, aim for where the back of the head meets the neck. Take your time. They don't even care we're here." Aurelia didn't even nod. She simply concentrated on her target. She squeezed the trigger and Towato simply dropped like a puppet with its strings cut.

Before it could even register in Giselle's mind that something was seriously wrong, Lelei slammed a blast of energy into the red dragon with as much power as the mage could muster, stunning Mowto, which roared in rage. A moment later, there was a roar as something sped away from Itami, a white blur on trails of fire streaking towards the drake. Had it been a clean hit, the young dragon certainly would have been killed outright. As it was, the missile impacted against the left wing rather than square in the body or head, staggering it and causing it to bellow in pain, the wing badly shredded. Seeing Mowto so badly hurt, Giselle's eyes went wide

"You! How dare you defy a god!". She lunged at Itami, intent on cutting him in half and reaving his soul, only to have her blow parried by Rory while Lelei continued to blast at the wounded dragon, with Locke and Kurokawa joining in with rifle fire.

Ban was the first of the Dark Elves to react to the unfolding scene. "Arrows!" The ten Elven warriors launched a ragged volley at Mowto as Aurelia shifted targets to the now badly injured Mowto, hitting it repeatedly before another blast from Lelei finished it for good.

In the meantime, Rory quickly drove the stunned Giselle into submission. Hardy's Apostle looked at Taylor with disbelief. "You said Apostle versus Apostle was a fair fight!"

"I did. I didn't say I thought Apostle versus Apostle and two dragons was a fair fight."

"Run home now Giselle," Rory told her. "I'm done playing games today." She pointed her Halberd at the Draconian Apostle. "Tell Hardy I'm NOT interested."

Giselle grimaced, knowing she was out of options. "You win today but I WILL be back!" She ran off.

"Shit!" Taylor swore."

"What?" Itami asked. "We did it!"

"Yeah. We killed TWO baby dragons right next to our observation post within a mile of a Giant MOTHER dragon's nest."

"Crap!" Itami realized. "Assuming it comes back the same time as yesterday and the day before, we've got three hours to do something before it comes home."

"Locke! Get on the radio. We need to let the higher-ups know what just happened. The rest of us need to start breaking down our little camp." Taylor looked over at Kurow. "We need to hurry up and move before the big one comes back. We'll move to that one spot you showed us near that lake. The view isn't quite as good but it's sheltered and since we might be waiting a few extra days, we can fish."

"Wasn't one of the other reasons we decided against that spot was because the dragon liked to circle around there in the morning?" Itami noted.

"Yep. But it's our next best choice. Besides, if it is back to circling the lake in the morning, it could be a sign that it is settling back into a normal posture."

"Agreed." Then Itami remembered an old trick for concealing the scent of their sweat. "Somebody get a large bag. Fill it with as much ash from our campfires as possible. When we get to where we're going, everyone needs to rub ash on their skin to cover our sweat"

With a certain urgency to their movements, the group hurried the five miles to the new observation site and set back up with plenty of time to spare before the Ancient Flame Dragon returned. As a matter of precaution, their new location was out of direct sight from the old one. This brought scant comfort as for hours they heard the huge dragon shriek angrily as it flew, searching for something to kill. Everyone simply kept their heads down and waited. Covered head to toe in ash, no one wanted to be alone or to move an inch more than necessary until well into next morning after the beast was seeing flying off, presumably to feed. And until then any conversation was in very hushed tones.

Once 'Mother' had flown off, some wary movement resumed as everyone returned to keeping a lookout. In this atmosphere, some normal conversation resumed.

"It's been eight days since we left Alnus," Taylor noted idly to Aurelia. "My mom is due to fly in from the States. Assuming no one has to try explaining why I'm not there, it's going to be fun."

"I look forward to meeting your mother, My Lord," Aurelia noted. "And I know that Aenaire and Lady Panache are looking forward to it as well. Lady Octavia has also long anticipated that day."

"Well, with all of you looking forward to that, who am I to let a two-hundred and eighty-foot tall dragon get in the way?"

"My lord is most wise."

Finally, after two more days of waiting, Itami and Kurow were ready to scout the cave and place the beacon. While inside the cave, Itami reported the remains of Giselle's dragon eggs, as well as a veritable armory of weapons and armor, none of which had apparently done its owners any avail. They were then instructed to wait for the next morning when an M577 Command vehicle would reach their position. Upon arrival, the pair were surprised to meet a team of United States Air Force RPA pilots with a Marine escort. Captain Willis filled them in.

Taylor glanced back at Rory amused. "MQ-9 Reaper hmm?" The Reaper was currently the largest UCAV or Unmanned Combat Air Vehicle in the US inventory, capable of carrying almost two tons of ordnance.

"That's right Lieutenant. We've actually had our bird in the air for sixteen hours now, waiting for word if our target was reacting to us. A couple of JASDF F4s have been rotating top cover for us just in case."

"But I thought your Predator drones required GPS navigation? No satellites around here," Itami observed.

"That would make it easier but we also have a line of sight system we can use. We can control it by laptop. Completely mobile. But that's another reason why you folks had to wait so long. They wanted to make sure we actually got here, now that we know this thing will attack ground vehicles like what happened with yours."

"Do you have the loadout to kill that thing, Captain?" Taylor asked.

"Four AGM114P Hellfire IIs and a pair of Five-hundred pound GBU-12 laser-guided bombs for good measure? We'll get it."

"Just make that first shot count. Well, since we're in the presence of the Apostle known as Rory The Reaper, Rory? Care to bless these gentlemen in their work? I'll take any edge we can get here."

Rory smirked.

The dragon returned in the late afternoon, settling down for a rest before presumably, it would head off for more hunting in the coming predawn. A couple of hours later, Itami and the others first heard the distinctive hum of a propeller-driven aircraft, a sound no one born on Janus had ever heard before.

Or not necessarily no one… For over a day now and, indeed, for several hours prior to the scouting team's encounter with Giselle, the UCAV had been airborne and gradually nearing the dragon's nest, but in gradual circles, acclimating the Flame Dragon to the presence of this large but apparently non-threatening presence in its vicinity.

Now the lie to this conclusion would be shown as Captain Willis maneuvered his ship into position. His weapons operator, Lieutenant Jansen studied his screen carefully.

Standing several feet away, the scouting party watched as two Five-hundred pound laser-guided bombs detonated. An agonized roar cut the air, announcing the dragon had been hurt but not necessarily fatally so. Half expecting this, the weapons operator waited as the creature started to rise, making an angry, pained challenge to whatever had dared attack it. As Captain Willis brought his craft in, Lieutenant Jansen waited until enough of the smoke cleared, then four Hellfire missiles rippled out into the nest, striking home.

Again the Reaper circled until the smoke cleared.

"Visual on target. That's a confirmed kill."

* * *

 **A/N: I estimate the hatchlings at roughly thirty feet. A corresponding animal would be a T-Rex which is believed to have weighed about 7 tons. Multiply that by 10 cubed or 1.000 for a Mama that is nearly 300 feet tall gives us a 7,000-ton armor plated animal. I'm not saying the two 500 pound bombs might not kill t outright but I'm expecting more of an agonizing wake up call with it sleeping in a curled and semi-protected posture. Once the wounded dragon tries to get up, it exposes the vitals more easily for the armor penetrating Hellfires to finish the job.**


	39. Chapter 28: Oh! My Goddess!

**Before we go any further, I want to extend my appreciation to all my readers, especially to those who have taken the extra time to comment and offer constructive criticism. Also, I would like to thank my followers over on SpaceBattles Forums who have helped out in my 'Test Kitchen', helping me fix things that are sometimes raw, sometimes over done, and occassionally half-baked. There are too many people to name but they've been indispensible in writing this. If there is a flaw in this story, blame me. But for all the good parts, I've had plenty of help. Thanks guys!  
**

 **That said, the Great Beast is dead! Things can return to normal now, right? I guess it depends on how you define normal...**

 **As always, I do not own Gate or its characters' Please Read Review and Enjoy!**

 **And Here We Go!**

* * *

 **The Janus Campaign**

 **Chapter 28: Oh! My Goddess!**

After the airstrike, every member of the scouting party made the trip down to the cave to personally see for themselves that the beast was, in fact, dead. This was with the exception of Rory, whom despite having just bested Hardy's Apostle, was still uncomfortable with 'entering into Hardy's domain'. For the others, there was something to be said for seeing this monster lying dead instead of merely hearing it. Lieutenant Jansen and some of the Marines came as well, although somebody still had to stay with the vehicle. Emerging from the passage that Kurow and Itami had used the previous day into what had been the dragon's lair, the group stood in awe at seeing such a massive beast dead before them. The massive head was fairly intact. The dragon had collapsed forward, which meant that aside from the pools of blood, the wounds inflicted by the Hellfires were unseen. The back was thoroughly blasted and it now could be seen where one of the massive wings had been completely severed.

"It truly is dead," Seymy was the first to speak, albeit in a soft voice as if afraid that anything louder might waken the monster that had haunted and hunted them these past months.

One of the Marines, Sergeant Gianetti, nodded and answered her. "It ain't coming back."

"This isn't how I imagined this would be," Yan said. "No desperate battle, no screams of triumph, nothing but something that just… _happened._ "

"That's the idea," Jansen told her. "If we do our job right, the odds are stacked in our favor. We're not here for a fair fight. We're not even here for a 'fight' if we can help it. We're here to get the job done."

Gianetti agreed, looking over at Seymy and the other Elves, "One of the greatest warriors our country ever produced once said that 'No bastard ever won a war by dying for his country. He won it by making the other poor dumb bastard die for his country'. That's how we roll. We don't give fair fights to people who are trying to harm or kill us or our friends or anything else we're tryin' to protect."

"Well, let's take a closer look," Taylor said after a moment. He gestured to Kurokawa. "I need a spare syringe and the cap." She nodded and took one out of her medical kit. Taylor took it and then went to the beast's mouth. "Aurelia? Can you pull one of these teeth out?"

Aurelia smiled, "Of course, My Lord." Selecting the largest fang, she braced herself and pulled it loose. She was a touch perplexed that instead of taking the fang, which was a massive twenty inches in length, he took the syringe and drew up a sample of the dragon's blood and capped it.

"Itami? I expect your government will want at least one sample."

"Good idea," Itami agreed. "Actually, Kurokawa? We'll need every syringe you have." He looked at Taylor. "We'll split them evenly, though I figure the scientists will swear we didn't get enough."

"Screw 'em then. These are the best samples they're going to get." Taylor then turned to Aurelia. "Quite the souvenir."

Aurelia smiled. Her Lord was a good man but still had much to learn about the ways of this world. "Yes, and once presented to Baron Kalgi, I expect any hesitation he might have about you marrying his daughter will quickly fade, My Lord."

"Good point." Taylor smiled and took hold of an equally large fang and wrenched it loose and set it next to the first. "This one will be for _your_ father."

Aurelia eyed it with delight. "It will be a wonderful gift!"

"Thank you," he said simply with shining eyes. "Best to make the most of this opportunity," he said, selecting a smaller tooth, this one was a mere eight inches. "This one I think will be good to make into a dagger handle."

"It will look good on My Lord," Aurelia agreed.

Following this example, each of the Dark Elves selected a tooth and pried it out as did Lieutenant Jansen and some of the Marines. This hardly seemed to make any noticeable difference as the huge mouth still retained scores of massive teeth even after all had claimed their prizes. Taylor pried a few mid-sized ones for General Hazama and Colonel Lowe. A final one for his mom as meanwhile, after Lelei took one, Itami took two, one to give to Tuka sometime in the future and one for Rory. Locke also claimed one, although Kurokawa declined to participate. Though she did accept when Fen gave her a jewel-encrusted dagger he had retrieved from the cave floor, its previous owner long since ceasing to have any need for it.

Sergeant Gianetti; however, opted to take one of the huge claws. "This thing must be over a foot long!"

"You know some animal rights group will go nuts on us if they hear about this," Corporal Frost commented,

"What are they gonna do? Sue us?" Corporal Schley remarked.

"Probably," Frost answered.

"Then we invoke the 'escape clause', gentlemen," Taylor replied.

"Escape clause, sir?" Frost asked.

"Yeah. We have the right to make sure these people could escape from this thing's claws."

Jansen and the Marines chuckled at that.

In the meantime, some had begun to examine what else remained in the nest.

"Look at all of this stuff!" Komu exclaimed. "There must be a fortune in weapons and stuff here!"

"As the salvaging party, you and your tribe are entitled to it," Itami suggested.

"Does anyone mind if I keep this?" Frost picked up a dullish looking sword with a red stone in the hilt.

"Of course you may, Man in Green," Ban smiled.

Lelei looked at it with a frown. "Not that one," She said selecting a different sword that still brightly reflected even the smallest bit of light. "Here. This one is safe. Some of these weapons were magically enhanced," Lelei noted, examining another sword.

At Lelei's words, Frost quickly discarded the blade in his hand and then checked to make sure all of his hand was still there, which it was to his relief.

"They must have thought that armed with magic weapons, they could kill the dragon as it slept," Lelei observed, glancing around some more.

"It just made sure they were trapped when it woke up," Taylor noted soberly.

Aurelia looked to Ban. "My House would like to claim the right to harvest scales from this creature. Say, ten percent of the total? We also claim the body of the blue hatchling."

Ban considered this not unreasonable."That is more than fair. Of course, I cannot speak for the Elders but I believe they will agree."

Taylor quirked his head at Aurelia, curious.

"Trust me, My Lord."

Nodding his assent, he pulled out his cell phone and turned on the video camera to provide a visual record of what was in the cave. As he recorded all the swords, blasted shields, and shredded armor, he realized just how many had died trying to come in here to kill this creature. Literally, hundreds of swords were scattered about.

"Let's get out of here."

* * *

After reporting to base, The scouting group was instructed to wait for a helicopter while Willis, Jansen, and the Marines began the ride back to Alnus on their own. The big CH-53 arriving about three hours later, taking the party on board, the helicopter first set down next to the bodies of the two hatchlings, signaling in two more choppers. The second one landing about twenty minutes later, the loadmaster and his team studying how best to secure one of the massive animals in a sling harness while a third CH-53 arrived for the other one, as back at Alnus, two Hino Refrigerated Trucks were waiting to take the remains for examination.

In the meantime, the first helicopter took off once more, heading for Lordom Valley. Upon arrival, the news that the dragon was at last truly dead was mixed with the news that the very deity they had sworn devotion to had been directly responsible for their plight in the first place.

"No…" Elder Drah shook his head, stunned. " _Why_?"

"Does it really matter?" Elder Bram asked. "The question is 'Do we continue to give our loyalty and devotion to a Deity who finds us completely expendable?'. If just a week ago, Hardy or her Apostle had commanded us to rise up and kill the outworlders with no mercy, then I would have been the first to draw their blood. Quite probably the first to die in her name also. But we are a people whom our Goddess sees as unworthy even to be used as pawns!" The anger in his voice was manifest. "And for that, we have suffered. We have lost sons and daughters and sons and daughters OF sons and daughters! Cherished friends and companions. And if there had been even a hope that we were not forgotten in our Goddess's heart, I could say to you to endure." Bram looked fiercely at the rest of the council. "But now… Do as you will! I and mine will no longer follow the Goddess of Lies and empty promises, the Goddess of Treachery, the Goddess of Apathy and of Contempt!" Bram's anger lashing out like a fire, searing all it touched.

Elder Drah looked thunderstruck. He had always looked to the old ways for stability and comfort but that was impossible now. It would be impossible even to remain in their ancient lands, so devastated by the Flame Dragon. Impossible to rely only on themselves and a now shattered faith. "What do we do now?" It was half a whisper and half a plea for guidance from a man who felt truly lost.

Matriarch Kyas smirked. "Perhaps we should look to someone who was actually there?" She said, looking at Rory who blinked.

"I; Kyas, daughter of Embir and Matriarch of the Tribe of the Burning Heart, renounce the name of Kyas Haa Nin. From this day forth, I am Kyas Ro Nin. Praise be to our Goddess Rory!"

Her daughter Indras called out from among the rest of the assembled members of the tribe. "I am Indras Ro Nin! Praise be to Rory!"

And standing only feet from Taylor, Nayu stepped forward. "I am Nayu, no longer Nayu Haa Nin. I am Nayu Ro Nin! Praise be to Rory!" Beside her, Yao, who had been burning in anger and shaken by betrayal, screamed louder than anyone.

"The name of Yao Haa Dushi be cursed! "I am Yao Ro Dushi! Praise be to Rory!"

One by one, the Elves of the Burning Heart renounced Hardy. Each pledging their worship of Rory Mercury. This momentarily left the Demi-goddess just the slightest bit uneasy She had followers and admirers and there were plenty who feared her but she had never sought worshippers. Now she was the Patron goddess, demi-goddess anyway, she thought, of nearly nine hundred Dark Elves. She really needed someone to pray to. Or maybe she needed a drink? Or Maybe just accept her due. After all, while the loss of one tribe would not adversely affect Hardy's reach and power by much, the acquisition of that tribe was another milestone on the path to Rory's ascendency, something which in part thanks to Corus, she no longer feared. Indeed, while not 'worshippers' in the traditional sense, the fans that she had acquired while in the other world had already begun to awaken her to a greater sense of her own potential

And after all, with great power came great opportunity.

She looked over at Itami with a wolfish smile. Being a worshipped Goddess surely entitled her to some indulgences...

Still, whatever else they had learned, the Elves of the Burning Heart rejoiced in the death of the Flame Dragon, an event which demanded celebration. But the celebration would have to wait as they prepared to evacuate from the devastated land that had been their home. Elder Bram and Matriarch Kyas being the first to pack their belongings and accompanied by Yao, Nayu, Komu, and Fen. They and a few others, including Nayu's mother, joined the scouting party for the flight back to Alnus for discussions with General Hazama while the remaining Elders began to organize the rest of the Tribe to be evacuated.

For their part, Itami and Taylor considered their part in this matter resolved. Lelei would still be needed to assist in translating between the Elders and Hazama and Colonel Emerson but they were done strolling into volcanos and facing down fire breathing monsters. Taylor, for one, wanted a hot shower and a good meal and a bed.

He didn't quite get that far.

"My lord," Lady Panache greeted him with a mix of bemusement and concern as both he and Aurelia were heading for the showers, both of them were still covered in ash and Aurelia was worrying that it was starting to harden in her fur. "Is that truly my beloved or is it a golem of stone I see before me?" She teased. "I am relieved to see you both well."

Aurelia gave a slight bow and smiled. For his part, Taylor grinned. "Isn't it every boy's fantasy to go off and slay a terrible dragon in the name of his beautiful knight?"

Panache chuckled. "And hast thou slain the beast?"

"The beast is dead, milady," Aurelia confirmed. "Our Lord has claimed suitable trophy of the victory." Taylor retrieved one of the large fangs taken from the dragon's skull and handed it to Panache.

"Aurelia suggested this might help dispel any reservations your father might have about his beautiful daughter marrying a barbarian."

Panache inspected the massive fang with wonder and satisfaction. "I agree, not even Baron Kalgi could deny. There would be no other suitor in all the Empire that could bestow such a prize as this!"

"That's good to hear," Taylor replied. "Now, if My Ladies will excuse me? I need to make myself more presentable so I may join you for dinner."

"Excuse me," Taylor and Aurelia recognized the now familiar voice of Nayu behind them. As they turned, the Dark Elf dropped to one knee, a pleased smile on her face, and bowing her head.

"My Lord, Our tribe owes you and Lord Itami a Life Debt for your work to save our people. From this day forward, I pledge myself to you. For as many days as you will live, I am yours."

Taylor could only think one thought. _Oh crap..._

* * *

After their meeting with General Hazama and his deputies, Elder Bram threw a quizzical look at Kyas.

"Are you sure about this?"

"Oh, definitely. We're too few in number to survive without a greater connection to the outside world and some true allies. To whom shall we turn? I suppose we could all simply migrate to the Great Northern Forests. But their leaders make Drah look radical in his thinking! They would absorb us and then? Then they would wait and shut their eyes to everything beyond the trees. I think we've learned this is a foolish path," Kyas considered. "We know that allying with the Empire or one of its client states would see us consumed as they have other races. Our warriors expended for the glory of the Empire."

"How do we know these new humans will be any different?" Bram questioned.

"We don't. What we do know is that they are incredibly powerful and they know little of our world. We will offer to guide them. Show them we can be good friends. And Nayu and Yao will hopefully be able to learn from them and help forge strong ties that will be needed for our survival."

"Why did you choose Yao and Nayu?"

Kyas smiled gently. "Sometimes, things need a bit of a push," she paused and sighed. "Yao has had a difficult path. She has had such sorrow that even some of our own people have come to see her life as cursed. Even Yao herself believes this I think. Certainly, no man among our tribe dares to ask for her hand even though she is possibly the best warrior and a very beautiful young lady. Yet, this Itami seems to have a knack for turning misfortune into triumph. Even just a few decades with such a man might help Yao see herself in a new light."

"And Nayu?"

"Nayu is of my blood and like her mother and like myself before them, she yearns to go places none of us have seen before. I think there may be some truth to the rumors my grandmother was a Sea Elf. Also, I think that Nayu's human blood may be calling to her. And then there was the way she was looking at Taylor. The last time I saw a look like that was when her mother brought home Nayu's father. She knows what she wants, I've merely given her cause to pursue him."

"And if they bear children from these unions? We need to be increasing our numbers, it won't help our tribe if those children are brought up ignorant of our ways."

Kyas laughed. "Like Nayu, they will still be Elves. It takes a minimum of one-hundred and forty years for one of our kind to reach responsible age and that is pushing it a bit. As beloved as their human parent might be, they will be long departed before then, leaving them with Elven mothers who will raise them. Perhaps it will be with some new ways learned but still in the spirit of our people. .And their mothers will have help to fall back upon. Indras would not only be delighted to help Nayu rear a child but I think she still desires to be a mother again herself! And even if these old hips aren't quite suited for birthing a child, I intend to be around a few centuries more. I will be there to care for, guide, and teach the children that arise from this." Kyas had a mischievous look.

"Besides, shall we not invite the heroes of this day to become part of us? In that, we shall also increase our number and scope. Let us see what we can teach the children of this new world in addition to what we can learn. As my daughter would remind you, some non-elves have found our ways to be very attractive after all..."

* * *

Author's Note

About name changes:

The entire tribe has abandoned the middle name Haa, which was in honor of Hardy, for Ro, in honor of Rory Mercury. But with Nayu's family, it goes further. The former family name was Haa Nin. Haanin is a name on Earth which means 'Gift of God'. Apparently, Kyas, Indras, and Nayu have rejected the 'gift' of their goddess Hardy to become the family of Ro Nin. But it seems one Ronin has moved to claim her master.

Also, Next Chapter we return to the 407th.

 **To Be Continued...**


	40. Side Story: Dear Dad

**You may think that you've seen the weirdest things in Falmart with Itami and Taylor but you'd be wrong. In this chapter we return to the 407th CSH and see that the rest of Falmart can be just as crazy.**

 **Once again, I do not own GATE or MASH and this is for entertainment only. Also, the character of Corporal Owens and his unique dilema were the creation of Taalismn and are presented here with appreciation.**

 **And now**

 **The Janus Campaign**

 **Dear Dad…**

So far it was one of the quieter days at the 407th Combat Support Hospital. Today, after making his usual rounds, found Captain Benjamin Franklin Pierce, known to all as 'Hawkeye', wearing his trademark red bathrobe and sitting in a lawn chair overlooking the camp's newest engineering endeavor. Well… At least the weather was nice and the martini pitcher was a fresh batch. Seated in the lawn chair next to him was BJ Hunnicutt.

"You know, this is my first pit digging," BJ commented.

"Well, you need to get out more often. Especially for an auspicious event like this! Behold! Rome has the Colosseum. China has the Great Wall. Paris has the Eiffel Tower. But nobody knows its pits like the US Army."

"Is that Salkowitz on the left?" Hunnicutt asked.

"I see you've noticed his exquisite mastery of the shovel. He's a magician at trenches and pits."

"Salkowitz!" BJ called out to the private on shovel number three. "Nice form."

The Private smirked and nodded, resuming his digging.

Taking another sip on his Martini, Hawkeye then turned his attention back to the letter he was writing.

 _Dear Dad._

 _It's relatively quiet today. That makes it a good time to catch up on writing home. I can't tell you everything that's going on. Some of it is hush-hush and some you wouldn't believe if I told you anyway._

 _Take yesterday for example:_

 _As I've said, a whole town is springing up right next door. All kinds of folk from all kinds of creeds and species come here looking for a better life. As I've told you, we're pretty much the first people any new arrivals get to meet. Now that most of the large scale fighting has died down, our biggest threat is disease. With a whole new breeding ground for illnesses we've never seen before all around us, we have to be very careful not to let the next bubonic plague get past us. So far we've been lucky._

 _We're also extremely diligent about OUR germs. We're well aware of the potential for unleashing a biological genocide on the very people we're trying to help. We screen everybody for everything, no exceptions. So far it's worked. But germs aren't the only contaminants we have to worry about. Those are just the ones we're best prepared to expect and deal with. Others less so._

 _Coming from our side, the wonders of our technical, consumer society. can occasionally create unexpected problems, as one of the local tavern hostesses discovered. Hair and bath products are a big hit with the locals. Unfortunately, not all hairs are created equal…_

"All right, Radar, show in our next contestant," Hawkeye had instructed. Luckily most of the cases lately were simple trauma cases. Somebody fell off a ladder. Somebody else with a splinter. Nothing difficult so far that day.

Radar nodded and led in a Vulpine girl who appeared to be in her early twenties by human standards. She came in with lowered ears and clutching her tail.

"Sir, this is Dora. She's a hostess at the Way Inn and Tavern in town."

"And what troubles a foxy young thing like you today?" Hawkeye asked.

"My tail!" Dora exclaimed. "It's ruined! And it burns!"

"All right. Radar, show Dora to exam one and we'll get a nurse and take a look."

 _It seems that she had seen some of her friends using some shampoo from the PX. They really seemed to like the stuff. So she tried it on her tail, hoping to give it that extra bit of bounce and shine. Turns out that the natural oils in her tail didn't react well to the shampoo. There wasn't a whole lot we could do. We flushed her tail with water and applied petroleum jelly. Just to be sure, since we were dealing with a completely different species, we admitted her overnight for observation. Unfortunately, there wasn't anything we could do for the fur. We had to tell her she was just going to have to regrow it._

 _That's one side of the problem. Our world has a plethora of wonders and conveniences and there is no way to predict which ones will present unforeseen problems. But it's not as if it only goes one way as some of our people have learned the hard way…_

"Excuse me? Doctor?" The Airborne Platoon leader asked, approaching the slender white-coated man exiting the dispensary.

"That's MAJOR! Lieutenant. Major Frank Burns and I believe saluting is still customary in this man's army."

The Lieutenant hastily saluted. "Sorry, sir! But you are a doctor, aren't you sir?"

"You couldn't tell it by asking his patients," Captain Hunnicutt commented in passing.

"Oh! Nerts to you Hunnicutt!" Burns turned to the Lieutenant. "I'm an excellent doctor."

"Your secret is safe with us," BJ remarked.

"Quiet you!" Burns glared at Hunnicutt and then turned his attention back to the Lieutenant. "Now what seems to be the problem?"

"If you would please follow me, sir? It's easier to show you than try to explain."

"Mind if I tag along Frank? This could be interesting. And they might need a real doctor."

"Har! Har! I'll show you." They followed the lieutenant to an area where about a dozen 101st airborne troopers and about thirty locals were gathered around a slender dragonlike creature with pale gold scales. The dragon seemed to be squirming in discomfort but watching them with very alert eyes, lifting its head as the three officers approached.

"Gah! Dragon! Somebody shoot it! Shoot it!" Major Burns' instinctual panic kicked in.

"Calm down Frank!" BJ demanded, looking closer and noting the chest emblem with a corporal's insignia on it. "Corporal Owens? Is that still you?" Corporal Owens _had_ been a lanky kid from Michigan. A few weeks after the seizure of Alnus, he'd been part of a local patrol making the rounds in one of the nearby villages. It had seemed harmless enough when an older looking woman in a grey cloak approached him and traded him an ornately crafted ring in exchange for a steel belt buckle and a couple of ration bars. It was harmless enough until he awoke the next morning with some of his squad makes shouting in panic and shooting at him after he had transformed into a twenty-five foot long slender winged dragon sometime during the night. Somehow he had managed to get everyone to stop shooting at him and convince them he WAS Anson Owens. Unfortunately the ring had fused itself into the knuckle of his left hand and was impossible to remove. Batteries of tests and psych evaluations had followed. It had not been a very pleasant time, although at least Captain Hunnicutt had gotten him to laugh at the thought of going to his highschool reunion and seeing the guys who used to pick on him again.

The dragon's head seemed to sigh. "Captain Hunnicutt! Thank god! Yeah, it's still me."

"Any luck tracking down your cursed artifact vendor?"

"Nadda, Doc. And now I'm itching like crazy! I haven't been able to sleep for three days!"

"You want to handle this, Hunnicutt? Fine with me. As for you, Lieutenant," Burns said looking at the crowd of civilians. "Just what are all these people doing here?"

"Oh! Those, sir, are the faithful followers of the 'Blessed Dragon.' You see that one there, Major?" The lieutenant pointed to a blue-skinned woman with long flowing white hair and dragon wings.

"Yes?"

"That's Desiree, Self-proclaimed High-priestess of the Sacred Dragon."

Said Priestess approached Major Burns. "How dare you threaten the Blessed Dragon! Were it not for His Glory commanding our restraint and patience, I would already have killed you for such an offense!" To make her point, she drew a silver dagger and held it up before sheathing it and handing it to the Lieutenant. "Our Glory tells us we must not commit violence on the Green Men. In His Name, you will be spared." She then turned her back on Burns and turned her attention back to tending Corporal Owens.

"Sorry about that, Major," Owens' lieutenant apologized. "She's a might protective of him."

Burns' eyes narrowed. "You just keep her away from me! Colonel Potter is going to hear about this!" The Major stalked off.

Hunnicutt shook his head. "I wouldn't worry about him." He studied the Corporal's skin for a minute. "Owens, I think I know what your problem is."

"What's wrong with me, Doc?"

"You're molting."

"Molting?"

"Yep! We'll have to measure you again but I think you might have just had a growth spurt. All that milky skin you've got? All that has to come off. Then the itching should stop."

 _So the unexpected surprises go both ways._

 _Anyway, thinking of Frank Burns reminds me of a man more appreciated in his absence… Or perhaps in Frank Burns' presence, Henry Blake. Henry has been sent to a place called Italica. It's a nice place and most of the locals are fairly friendly after we kept a small army of thugs from ransacking the place. The International Science Mission is there with the consent of Countess Formar, who is all of eleven years old but has a lot of devoted folks looking out for her._

 _At any rate, Henry is there helping to provide the kind of medical care the locals can't provide for themselves and also smoothing things out ahead of time if the Army decides to send the whole outfit out that way. Henry's made a pretty good impression on everyone, particularly Miss Kaine. She's the head of Countess Formar's staff. Think Margaret Thatcher but with warmth. Henry and Kaine appear to have become good friends. Nothing exciting, he's a devoted family man. That's part of what's great about Henry, but the other day, Kaine found out that Henry's wife just gave birth to their fourth child. (It's a boy, by the way,) and arranged a little celebration. It's the sort of thing that shows how people from literally different worlds can come together as friends. Maybe if more of us living in the one world could just choose to do the same._

 _Inevitably, not all relationships stay in the 'friends' category, no matter what the official line may be._

Henry Blake looked at Kurata with a resigned expression. "Sergeant," he said looking from Persia to Katrine and back to Kurata. "Mind telling me how you got all those scratch marks? I doubt you were in a gardening shed, so those can't be from a dozen rakes which just happened to fall on you."

The young sergeant shrugged helplessly.

"He'll be alright, won't he?" Persia asked with concern. Katrine leaning forward with equal interest.

"I'll prescribe an antibiotic cream. You girls can help the sergeant apply it on all those scratches," Blake told them. "They'll heal but if I were you, I'd be careful around lawn equipment from now on, sergeant and also, I'd be really careful never to make any rakes angry at you if you know what I mean."

 _So all's fair in love and war, provided you can tell the difference I guess._

 _Speaking of relationships stretching across the worlds brings me to Specialist Parna. We're actually making some progress on her situation. I won't get too far into the details here but it looks really promising that we can fully regrow her severed ear._

With her mother, Calliope watching, Colonel Potter lifted up the little Bunny Girl so she could look into the eyepiece of the comparison microscope. "Alright, Ariel. See that? On each side is a skin sample from Miss Parna's ear. On the right side, we put in some cells from your ear. See how much bigger and livelier that piece is? That's because your cells have made that sample want to grow and fix itself!"

"She'll get her ear back?" Ariel asked.

"I'm sure of it. There is a little bit of stuff we want to check on to make sure it works like we want it before we tell Miss Parna so we need you to keep this a secret just a little longer. Just between us, okay?"

"I promise!"

"Good girl."

 _Thanks mainly to a little girl named Ariel and a pet rabbit named Fluffy, we have a real chance to restore some of the pride of an entire race. Looks like we might be doing some good in spite of ourselves. A lot of people around here need help. Doesn't matter whether they're human or Elves or Vulpines, or Bunnies, or any of at least half a dozen other species, they're all people just trying to survive. The hardest cases are the children. There's more than a few who have lost their parents. One guy who's determined to make a difference on that score is Trapper John. There have been three kids, in particular, two boys and their little sister. They were actually part of the first group of refugees here. Their parents were killed in a dragon attack. Trapper has been leaping through hoops trying to get permission to adopt these kids. At first, he was a little worried about what his wife would think but according to Trapper, it seems she and their daughters are almost as excited as he is. But seeing as how last week, the last piece of red tape finally resolved itself, we all decided to throw a little fundraiser to help pay for the expenses so Trapper's family can come to Tokyo and take home its new members._

"And now to introduce a man who deserves no introduction," Hawkeye said standing in front of the crowd of celebrants, "I give you John Francis Xavier McIntyre! Come on up Trap!" Trapper stepped up with a martini in hand. "Come on there Trapper! Say a few words to all the folks out there!"

Near the door, behind most of the crowd, BJ noticed Major Winchester leaning against the doorframe with an odd expression, observing but not partaking.

"Join the party, Charles! You just might smile and I even promise not to tell!"

"Thank you but no, Hunnicutt. I shan't be staying for long. I see no reason to assault my palette with gin swill when I have a perfectly good bottle of Cognac in my quarters. But do enjoy yourself Hunnicutt and give my best regards to McIntyre. I will admit it looks like this gathering will be most successful."

"Alright then, suit yourself!" BJ remarked, turning his attention back to the festivities.

Winchester smiled now that eyes were elsewhere. From his billfold, he withdrew a treasury note he had been given by his father the day he was accepted into Harvard. It had been a proud gift from a father to his son but now the time was right to gift it to another. He folded the bill with its portrait of Grover Cleveland and deposited it into the collection bottle beside him, and left.

 _We deny it but most people want to do right by others, even if they won't admit it sometimes.  
_

 _On the subject of people doing right by others brings me back to Dora, our hostess with the tail problem. It turns out that Radar wasn't satisfied with the limits of medical science. So he decided to try looking for another solution to the problem._

Having finished the latest batch of papers in his 'in' box, Radar dialed his daily call to Klinger to discuss anything that might be needed in Italica. Once the official part was done, the two took time to catch up on everything else.

"You should have seen it! The poor girl was sobbing and crying. She was completely humiliated!"

 _"And they can't do nothin' for it?"_ Klinger asked.

"Nothing. She's gonna have to regrow it. It was like when my Aunt Gertrude got a perm burn! She had to wear a wig for months before it grew out again." Radar paused. "That's it!"

 _"What's it?"_

"If we can't make the tail grow back faster, then maybe we can find some way to cover it up, so she doesn't feel so embarrassed. But… no… I don't know what I'm gonna find for that."

At the other end, Klinger grinned. "Remember how I told you how my Great Uncle got out of Korea, and how my ma sent part of his collection if I ever got that desperate?"

 _"You're not getting that desperate, are you?"_

"Not yet anyway, though it's tempting sometimes. But anyway, my Great Uncle had a beautiful fox fur stole in there! You could take that and make it into like a slipcover for her tail."

 _"Klinger! You're a genius!"_

"I'm not just another pretty face you know. So all I ask is tell me how it works and if she likes it, see if she'll pose for a couple of pics with it."

 _"Will do Klinger! Thanks again!"_

 _So, after a few hours sewing and then with Parna taking over the stitching to save Radar from serious blood loss, the two of them presented Dora with her new tail. To say she was ecstatic would have been an understatement._

"For me? Thank you! It's beautiful! It's even more beautiful than my sister's tail!" Dora happily embraced both Parna and Radar, hugging them both happily. "This is wonderful!" She let them slip it over her damaged tail and button it secure. She then wiggled it around. "It fits perfectly! Oh! Thank you! I love you both forever!" She exclaimed, hugging them both again.

 _Just goes to show that while medicine has its limits, the depths of compassion and ingenuity can be limitless._

Hawkeye looked up from his writing to see that the digging had stopped.

"It's ready?"

"It's ready," BJ confirmed and pointed to where Desiree was directing several of the followers of 'The Sacred Dragon' as they unloaded a wagon filled with several barrels. BJ and Hawkeye strolled over, noticing that whatever was in the barrels had a slightly fruity odor to it.

"Is this it?" Hawkeye asked.

"Yes!" Desiree said proudly. "It's an old family recipe! My mother and grandmother mixed it for me when I was little. I remember how awful those molts were! I should have realized the source of Our Glory's distress!"

"I'll go get Corporal Owens," BJ offered as the faithful began filling the pit with the viscous mixture.

By the time BJ returned with Owens, the pit was completely full.

"What is it?" Anson asked as he stared at the pit. Desiree beamed.

"It is an old family remedy! Your Glory should soak in this while I scrub the old skin away. The mixture will soothe the itching and loosen the old skin while adding moisture to the new skin. It is very relaxing!"

"Well, go on, corporal! It looks to be just what the doctor ordered." Hunnicutt prompted to Owens, who nodded his massive head and slipped into his bath.

"Ooh… Wow! This is great! It's working already!"

"That is as it should be, Glorious One!" Desiree said as she climbed up on his head and began to scrub, smiling in satisfaction as she scrubbed away the old skin and revealing a brightly golden glistening coat beneath.

Of course, all of this drew attention and a small crowd, inevitably drawing the attention of Major Burns.

"Just what is going on here?" Burns demanded.

Desiree glared at him from atop Corporal Owens. "Silence! This is a sacred ceremony! If you wish to observe then you will show respect."

Intimidated, Burns turned to Pierce and Hunnicutt. "Really? How could you two allow this? Imagine what Father Mulcahy would say!"

"You can ask him yourself, Frank," Pierce said. "Here he comes now," Hawkeye pointed to the unit priest, who was watching with interest as he walked up.

"Father!" Burns protested. "I'm certain you must be as appalled by this as I am!"

"Actually, Major, this is reminiscent of the Washing of Feet, albeit on a grander scale."

Burns leaned forward as he noticed one particular detail. "Is she… topless?"

"And bottomless," Pierce noted with a smirk.

"I could really start to envy that guy," BJ smirked.

"Ordinary cloth is too coarse to touch the Glorious One until after the new layer of skin hardens." She turned her attention back to the task at hand. "Just relax, Glorious one. Your faithful will provide!"

 _Like I was saying, today has been pretty quiet. We have no idea what tomorrow will bring but hopefully, it brings us all a day closer to coming home. Hope to hear from you soon._

 _Love, Hawkeye._


	41. Chapter 29: Mama Mia!(Here We Go Again!)

**So, here we are at another chapter! 125K words in this story! I've never worked on anything this big before! Thanks goes out to everyone reading this! As always, I do not own GATE or any other recognizeable copyrighted or trademarked properties.**

 **Note on the title: Simply just a referrence to the ABBA song and is not meant in any disrespect to "Here We Go Again" By Shmack1812. His work is so vastly different and in a style I could never do.**

 **With that said...**

* * *

 **The Janus Campaign**

 **Chapter 29: Mama Mia! (Here We Go Again!) Part 1**

It was morning and the alarm by Taylor's bedside sounded only briefly before being ruthlessly silenced. Taylor had little doubt as to the finality of the alarm clock's fate as his eyes focused on Aurelia and the savagely satisfied glare she was giving at the wreckage of her enemy.

"Aurelia?" Taylor spoke as he rubbed the sleep from his eyes.

"Yes, My Lord?" She could not quite get the touch of satisfaction out of her voice.

There just wasn't any fighting it and besides, it had been a cheap alarm anyway. "Nicely done."

"Thank you, My Lord." The smirk was evident in her voice.

Still, it was time to disassemble the tangle of bodies as everyone started to rouse. At the center of it all, Taylor couldn't move until enough of the rest of the pile got up. Aurelia was naturally already up. She walked over to the remains of the alarm clock and after giving one last satisfied look, scooped it up and unceremoniously dropped it in the trash. Aenaire now slowly got up, gently waking her son.

"Galador, time to get up now. We have a busy day ahead!"

Her son nodded and came alive as if someone had flipped a switch, much in the same fashion that children greet any anticipated day.

Then Panache stood up. She needed to check the polish on her armor. She had debated between the blue and gold formal dress of the Rose Order or the highly polished ceremonial armor which she had, at last, managed to bring with her. In the end, the armor won out. And Panache was glad for it. The formal dress would be packed anyway, just in case, but so would some more comfortable clothing.

And Nayu…

Honestly, Taylor didn't remember getting many, if any, words out after Nayu had made her declaration of devotion before Panache had firmly instructed that Aurelia should see to herself and Taylor getting a good shower while she and Nayu went to see Aenaire. Pretty much by the time Taylor caught up with everyone, he was told that Nayu's presence was acceptable for now. Aurelia nodding in agreement and then the four ladies all acting as if it was no longer a matter.

Nayu stood, straightening herself up and headed to the room next door where she was certain that her mother and grandmother had been listening in. She was glad that everyone was feeling more relaxed around each other now, especially Galador, as it was with her son in mind that Aenaire had consented to Nayu joining the House. If anything happened to Aenaire, she would now hopefully rest assured that Nayu would raise Galador in a stable home.

At any rate, knocking on the adjoining door, Nayu found her mother Indras and Grandmother Kyas trying and failing to look innocent.

"We'll be more than happy to look after the little one tonight, dear," Indras purred.

"I'm sure that won't be necessary but thank you all the same," Nayu replied drily. "And try to be on your best behavior, mother, grandmother, please?" We're supposed to meet Taylor's mothers. I want to make a good impression."

"Oh, dear!" Kyas smiled. "We're always on our best behavior!"

"That's what worries me," Nayu sighed. "Come on. Let's get ready…"

* * *

Of course, for Itami and the rest of Third Recon, it was back to business as usual. Princess Pina had sent word that she was ready to receive the Japanese Emissary, Koji Sugawara and the American Special Ambassador, William Russell at the Jade Palace and it was time to escort them discreetly to Sadera, where Pina hoped to persuade certain Pro-war Senators to reevaluate their continued support for the war and convince them to open a formal dialogue to negotiate peace with Japan. Third Recon would handle the escort detail as well as the delivery of certain materials to Her Imperial Highness. As they approached Sadera, they would rendezvous with Hamilton and a detail of Pina's knights, who would escort the diplomats the rest of the way to the Jade Palace.

Seeing the soldiers a bit uncomfortable around him, Ambassador Russell gestured to the case of Manga carefully translated by volunteers at Alnus. "That's rather unusual reading material, wouldn't you say, Lieutenant?"

Itami had no interest in the Princess's fascination with Yaoi. It was an unfortunate effect of her contact with Risa, Itami judged. What she judged as art was well outside his tastes. Well, he was a delivery boy. He didn't have to read the stuff. But still, a senior diplomat, a foreign diplomat at that had addressed him with a question.

"Those kind of stories are not my thing, sir. I'm afraid it's something my ex-wife introduced her Imperial Highness to. She calls it art."

Russell casually picked up one of the books and thumbed through it with a smile as he noticed some of the edits inside. Putting it back down, he looked at Itami with a fatherly smile. "Your eyes look like they're about to fall out of your head, lieutenant. While I agree it isn't exactly my cup of tea, I've seen much worse things in my day. And art is subjective they say. One man's trash is another's masterpiece. And who are we to judge but for ourselves?" He shot Itami an appraising look.

"So, you're the 'Hero of Ginza'. And the locals are calling you the 'Savior of Italica'. So, tell me Mister Itami. Is it that you like going where angels fear to tread or that you just can't keep out of trouble?"

"Definitely the latter, sir," Kurokawa remarked as Itami mentally squirmed.

"I'll say," Kuribayashi agreed.

"Good," Russell declared. "I've got no use for a man who deliberately goes looking for trouble."

"What about you and Mister Sugawara?" Kurokawa asked. "Aren't you basically walking into the 'Lion's Den' as it were? While we trust Her Imperial Highness from personal experience, I think it's fair to say that not everyone will be so welcoming."

"Very true, but we're not looking for trouble. Every step has been meticulously planned out. There's a detachment of your Special Security forces and a few of our Marines are already in place, waiting for us and there are other security measures in place in the meantime." They didn't need to know that Agent Poole, from the Department of State Security, was carrying an emergency beacon in addition to a concealed Heckler & Koch HK45. Also, now having returned from Mount Tybe, Captain Willis and Lieutenant Jansen had their drone, now christened 'Lil' Rory' and carrying a rather risque portrait of the Apostle herself, trailing them, making casual circles at 30,000 feet. They would look for any signs of trouble and if necessary, a payload of Mark 82 mod 7 bombs would create carnage on a hostile column. It was fervently hoped such precautions would prove unnecessary but caution was the watchword for now. In addition,, a special unit from the 101st Airborne was also following them with orders to extract the two diplomats if needed.

"So, what about the rest of you?" Russell asked. "What impression do you people have of this strange world we find ourselves in?"

"Professionally or personally?" Kuribayashi asked, throwing a wicked look at Kurata.

"Either way, sergeant. In Diplomacy, both can be very relevant to understanding the folks you're dealing with."

"In that case, Kurata is our resident expert at making good relations with the locals. A couple of them in particular."

Kurata blushed a little and then yelped as Master Sergeant Nishina congratulated him with a slap on the back.

"Are you sure you don't want me to look at your back?" Kurokawa asked with motherly concern.

"It's nothing! Just a little too much sun in Italica."

"Right," Shino doubted.

"Anyway, Kurokawa has her own boyfriend now," Kurata replied. "That Drow, Fen that came back with her from Schwarz Woods."

"He's not a Drow, Kurata and I explained to him that I'm simply much too busy to get involved with anyone right now. We're friends," she said simply. And it was true, although Fen hoped that given just a little time, she might change her mind.

"Well, I'm not your father and I'm not your General, so your secrets are safe with me," Russell told them as they settled in, just a bit more relaxed for the rest of the journey.

* * *

Meanwhile, back at Alnus, after the mandatory medical checks, Taylor's party was cleared to cross the Gate to Tokyo. Once more, Yeoman Locke would be accompanying them. Taylor did not expect to need her much but some leave in Tokyo was certainly well deserved for her. Of course, they needed to report to Camp Augustus first. Colonel Mihara had dispatched a van and mentally thanking her, knowing what a sight their little group would make walking the streets of Tokyo down to the subway. It was enough to handle the shock and astonishment of the five elves in their party without the distraction of others watching them.

By now, while still awestruck by the massive steel and stone buildings all around them, Galador was becoming an experienced hand at riding in horseless carriages. Knowing the rules, he got in and proceeded to help Kyas with her seatbelt.

"Cars go very fast," he warned her seriously. "You always have to wear seatbelts."

The Dark Elf Matriarch smiled fondly on him, "Oh! I promise! I will!" The boy was smart and thoughtful, Kyas thought. It would be an honor to claim him and his mother as part of her family.. The boy nodded and then turned to buckle his own as Aenaire watched her son with a touch of then came and checked that everyone was buckled in. With Aurelia helping Indras and Nayu, everyone was secured and Taylor sat next to Panache for the drive to Camp Augustus.

"The towers rise as high as the trees of Foundation,"Kyas remarked.

"Yes," Aenaire agreed but frowned slightly. "Though the air smells a bit."

Taylor frowned, realizing things did smell a little different now but he refrained from comment. He didn't want to sound like he was either sermonizing or selling anything. Besides, he was hardly anyone's wiseman.

They reached their destination soon and once waved in by the gate guards, they were ushered into the main hall.

"Welcome home, my son," Lady Octavia greeted as they entered the hall. Lady Octavia and Taylor embraced as family even as Panache saw and embraced her brother, Tiberius. Panache noted how Taylor's sister, stood close, almost possessively of Tiberius.

"So I may write our mother and tell her that you have found a worthy bride?" Panache asked as Lucilla practically grinned even as Tiberius blushed.

"Not for a little while yet," Tiberius explained. "Lucilla still wants to join the Rose Order and train as a knight first." His eyes glanced longingly over at Lucilla. "I'll wait."

"A wise young man!" The booming voice of Legate Germanicus laughed as he entered the hall, supporting himself on a custom ordered walking stick. While he was in much better shape than he had been, even the miracles of this world had limits and took time.

"Father!" Aurelia exclaimed in delight. The old warrior beamed at seeing his daughter.

"You look well, Aurelia! I have been told of your new task." He glanced over at Taylor. "It goes well?"

"Yes father! My Lord is a good man who honors me well!"

"Excellent! Have you had the opportunity to see your mother since your return to the Empire?"

"I'm afraid not, father. "My Lord and I were called to help slay an ancient Flame Dragon." She smiled, retrieving the tooth Taylor had given her. "Proof of our victory, father!" She handed it to her father, who marveled at it.

"I await the telling of the tale at dinner tonight." He smiled at Taylor. His wife had apparently done well in choosing an heir.

Octavia looked thoughtful. "And the Lady Agrippina, my son?"

"She is at Italica, training in martial arts with Corporal Nakamura. She has decided to acquire information before going to reclaim her home."

"You will still accompany her there, I trust?"

"Of course and I have not forgotten the need to see to the family's lands. Aurelia is anxious to see her mother and sisters."

"Naturally, I think Videlia is going to love you, my son!" Octavia smirked at her husband. "I have found that she has impeccable taste!" She turned to greet the rest of her guests. "Lady Panache! It is a pleasure to see you again!"

Panache smiled and bowed her head. "And you, My Lady. I regret to inform you that even with additional aid," she said, gesturing to Nayu and her kin. "Even with the combined efforts of Aurelia, Lady Aenaire," Panache indicated the High Elf, "and myself. We cannot seem to keep My Lord out of trouble."

"Oh? I shouldn't wonder. A Flame Dragon! Naturally." Octavia looked to the fair elf whose son stood fixed to her side. "You must be Aenaire then! It is a pleasure to meet you! And your son!" She smiled at Galador. "It is my honor to welcome you." Octavia told them and then looked to Nayu. "And Uial! Welcome!"

Kyas bowed her head "We of the Burning Heart are honored to be here. We are indebted to your son for the survival our tribe."

"There will be time for the tale but I know that my son has a very important matter to attend first. Be on your way, my son! In the meantime, We offer our hospitality to your guests and await your return with anticipation."

"Shall I accompany you, My Lord?" Aurelia offered.

Taylor paused. He had originally thought to pick his mom up alone but perhaps it would be a good idea if his mom got to meet one or two of them instead of trying to introduce everyone at once. "If you want."

"I will also join you then, My Lord," Panache declared.

Taylor nodded, then looked to Aenaire and Nayu. "Why doesn't everyone else stay here and relax? We won't be long." Besides, Aurelia and Panache had at least a small taste of being in a modern city. He really didn't want to try taking a number of elves to the airport. The trick was to ease everyone into things.

Aenaire smiled, "That sounds like a very good idea."

Nayu seemed a little less agreeable to the notion. She wanted to see everything and also she desired to stay with Taylor wherever he went but Indras nodded in agreement with Aenaire. "Nayu, you were there. While we await your beloved's return, we can tell Lady Octavia how we became indebted to her house."

"O.. Of course," Nayu acquiesced. Her mother was probably right but she still didn't like it.

"We'll be back," Taylor smiled as he, Panache, and Aurelia headed to check out a minivan.

 _On the one hand, I'm walking with a Bunny Girl and a literal Knight in Shining Armor… Not exactly discreet. On the other hand, it's Tokyo. We'll be fine_. Mindful of Murphy, he mentally added, _I hope._

* * *

The drive from Yokosuka to Narita International Airport took an hour and forty minutes, during which time Taylor was certain that he was being followed, presumably by agents of Japan's Public Security Agency among others. As he parked the car, he gave a reminder to his Ladies.

"Remember: None of us are allowed weapons here. Leave it all in the car." Glancing over at Panache, he was glad they were heading for the 'Arrival' gates and not departures. Any attempt to detain her and conduct a 'personal search' could get very problematic. Once assured that Panache and Aurelia had both put away their weapons, he led them down the long concourse to the United Airlines terminal. They seemed to be getting looks of curiosity more than anything else. Young children seemed fascinated by Aurelia's long ears and fluffy tail, while older children and teens seemed fascinated by Panache. Those who hadn't dismissed it as some sort of cosplay at least, although, of the ones who had, a fair number seemed curious about the degree of detail and seamlessness in the two girls' costumes.

That just meant he had to face his mom.

After waiting about twenty minutes, Taylor spotted his mom: Short with brown eyes and long dark brown hair that hinted at the rumors of Cherokee or Apache in her blood, Her days of being meek ended with her marriage. She well remembered how her husband had told her that he wanted a divorce but since they could not agree, that she was to contest it. He also wanted her to use the same lawyer he had. Instead, she got a better lawyer and countersued. And after being granted the divorce in the countersuit and moving, she became almost like a new person, freer and happier than her son ever remembered.

And very willing to let her opinions be known. She watched anime with her son so to confound her somewhat older daughter, who thought her too stodgy for such things. She took to cleaning and painting apartments for extra cash and she shared stories about her childhood she hadn't told before.

Ruth Taylor was a rebellion waiting for a cause.

And William Taylor was relieved to see her as much as he dreaded trying to explain how the threads of his life had gotten so tangled.

"Mom!"He called to her and her eyes lit and she beamed as he hugged her tight.

"So what's this important news you couldn't tell me on the phone?" She looked at Aurelia and Panache curiously. "You didn't get drunk, did you? I'm not going through with you the same shit I went through with your brother."

Luckily, this was in a mildly teasing tone rather than the steel blistering voice she had used on her older son when she informed him that she would not be a servant in her own home."No mom, I promise. And well, like I said, it's complicated but I'd like you to meet Lady Panache Fure Kalgi and Aurelia Co Germanicus. And like I said, we've got a lot to talk about. So let's get your bags. What all did you bring?"

His mother pointed to a fair-sized suitcase and a large trunk. "You made this sound as if you wanted me here a while so I packed my clothes and my knick-knacks and the albums….A couple of DVDs and don't tell anyone but my machete is in the bottom."

"Why?"

"Just in case."

"And the albums?"

"Son, when you tell me to come halfway around the world so you can tell me something you can't explain on the phone and say you hope I can stay a while, then it must be about a relationship."

"How did you even get this to the airport and on the plane?"

"I didn't take 'no' for an answer. Now let's find a dolley and You aren't driving one of those little mini cars, are you?"

"No, I checked out something bigger."

"Good." Soon they found a dolley and loaded the trunk into the minivan. Panache and Aurelia actually loading it in.

As she got in, Taylor's mom noticed the sword and other weaponry inside.

"What's all this?"

"That belongs to them," William indicated Aurelia and Panache, who then reclaimed their weaponry and buckled in. Making sure his mom was set, Taylor started the van and started the drive back to Yokosuka.

Panache broke the ice.

"We have wanted to meet you very much, My Lady," Panache said with a tone of careful respect. William had told her that his mother was not a big fan of nobility but respect was a trait that would go far with her.

"My lord speaks of you with great love and respect," Aurelia added.

Ruth looked at them and then her son and raised an eyebrow and shook her head with a smile. "I ain't never been a lady. As for 'My lord', Son, you know I'm only holding to one Lord and last time I checked, you don't walk on water."

Panache didn't miss a beat. "I call you My Lady only in respect. You have raised a wonderful son and the mother of such a man deserves great respect."

"As for, my lord," Aurelia said, "William explained the difference between my Lord, who has earned noble respect far more than most born to it, and The Lord Christ. While that is not our way, please believe we mean no disrespect to you or your God."

Panache nodded agreement. "Also, as for being termed a 'lord' in our culture,You see, Aurelia and I are not the only ones who feel that way. The Lady Octavia believed she needed a good, honorable heir to help protect her family. So she, how shall I say it? 'Borrowed' your son and declared him her heir."

"Wait. What? Didn't she have any kids of her own?" Ruth was puzzled. Her son sighed and answered.

"She has two sons, Antonius and Marcus, but they're only seven and five years old and her daughter, Lucilla, is fourteen. Also, it seems that her father didn't think that her husband was 'noble' enough so he signed in his will that her heir couldn't be one of her husband's children or on her death, his estates pass to the family of his cousin. So yeah… I kind of picked up an extra mother."

"She and I are going to have to have a talk I see," she chuckled. "We never discussed a lease agreement."

Taylor relaxed inside just a little. His mother was making jokes. This was a good sign.

Panache smirked a little. "Shall the rest of us negotiate a 'lease', my Lady?"

"Call me Ruth," she replied. "And what do you mean 'we'?"

 _Uh oh…_ Taylor thought. _Here it comes._

Panache didn't hesitate. "In accordance with the different laws, customs, and traditions of our peoples, I, Aurelia, Lady Aenaire of the High Elves, and Nayu of the Uial, all seek your son's hand in marriage. We would all ask your blessing."

" _All_ of you?"

"Yes, you see, while under the laws of my people, Aurelia, Aenaire, and Nayu cannot legally become his wife, the term 'concubine' is not a shameful thing and as long as a husband… Or wife, for that matter… can support them and their children properly, then one may claim any number of 'companions' provided the existing spouse consents. And your son has now become very wealthy."

"How much is very?" Ruth asked trying to get a handle on all this.

Her son sighed. He knew that an obsession with wealth was hardly a thing with his mother but making sure her son did not get too big for his britches was.

"I checked the location of the Octavus lands on a map. Uh… it's roughly the size of the state of Connecticut."

His mother's eyes went wide. "O...kay!" She then looked at Aurelia. "So the five of you seriously intend to live in the same house and all that? Are …. How well does that work? I mean I'm not against anybody's race but… "

Aurelia smiled. "Quite well, actually My father is Lady Octavia's husband. There really aren't many males of our kind so many of us actually prefer human men."

Ruth quirked her head, studying the Bunny Girl and Panache, both had been polite and neither had tried to put on airs. Panache actually reminded her a bit of herself in some ways and Aurelia was actually quite pretty. "Son…"

"Yes mom?"

"I always used to have a fondness for fresh rabbit back when I was growing up. I never figured you'd develop a taste for the whole rabbit!" She laughed. "So… Son, you mean to tell me, you're planning to live in a foreign country with more than one wife, some of whom aren't even human and have kids, right?"

"Yes mom."

"And they aren't Christian and you'll be running a small state?"

"That's about the size of it."

"William, your Uncle Bill would have three kinds of fits and probably have a heart attack!" She got a sly look. "Can I tell him?"

* * *

 **A/N: Uial is the local term I've settled on for the Dark Elves. It is actually the Elvish word for 'Twilight' in Tolkein according to an online translator I found.**


	42. Chapter 30: Mama Mia! Part 2

**And we're back! As always, Thank You to all my readers. Again, I do not own GATE or _any_ recognizeable properties!  
**

 **And our story continues.**

* * *

 **The Janus Campaign**

 **Chapter 30: Mama Mia! (Here We Go Again!) 2  
**

As the drive back to Yokosuka continued, Panache relaxed somewhat. Lady Ruth had a wicked sense of humor and an open mind and she had the feeling that had they met as children together, they would have been sword sisters.

"So," Ruth asked. "How did the two of you meet my son?"

Panache flushed a little at the memory of her first encounter with William Taylor but Aurelia only smiled. "I am a retainer assigned to Lady Octavia by my father, Legate Germanicus. I was assigned to protect my younger sister and brothers. So we were all in Tokyo when Lady Octavia arranged our surrender. My Lord was assigned to help see to our welfare as non-military 'detainees', I believe the term was. When My Lady chose your son as her heir, she commanded that I would receive the honor of protecting her heir. It has not been easy."

"Oh?"

Aurelia nodded and retrieved the tooth William had gotten for his mother. "This is a gift for you that your son took from the remains of an ancient Flame Dragon."

Ruth stared at the tooth. "And how big was this thing?" She asked her son.

"Um… Just under three-hundred-feet tall."

"At least you kept him from being eaten. So good job!"

"Thank you, My Lady."

"Ruth," she corrected.

"Thank you, Ruth."

"No. Thank you!" She looked again at Panache. "And how did you meet my son?"

"She had a very compelling pick-up line, mom," Taylor said mildly.

"Oh?"

"She pointed her sword at me and said: 'Surrender!' I couldn't exactly turn her down at that point."

"No, I guess not." Ruth grinned approvingly at Panache. "So? You're planning on getting married."

"Yes," Panache answered. "As soon as the Peace is signed, something we all hope will happen soon."

"That's fine. So what kind of ceremony were you going to have?"

"We really hadn't had the chance to talk about it but for our people, a priest or priestess normally presides. I would actually like a fastening." Panache noticed the curious look Ruth gave her. "Silk ribbons representing the threads of life and fate are fastened between the bride and groom."

"Well," Taylor considered. "I might ask Rory to preside if you like?"

"The Apostle?" Panache's eyes widened. "If she would agree, it would be a high honor."

"You mean that one who told off that bitch in the Diet hearings?" Taylor's mom asked.

"That's her mom, she's literally the hatchet woman for their God of Darkness. Apparently, she sees it as her duty to send bad people to meet her boss."

"I like her!" Ruth replied. "Just I want you to remember something."

"Yes, mom?"

"I better not hear anyone vowing to 'Obey'. 'Love' 'Honor' and 'Cherish'? Fine. But if I hear someone promising to 'Love, honor, and _obey_ ' then I'm gonna start kicking asses, including both of yours."

"No worries mom, I know better."

"Good," Ruth answered.

"Anyway mom, Panache has agreed to teach me the art of horseback riding and how to hold a sword without hurting myself."

"Is that so? Could she teach me?" Ruth had plenty of experience tending horses growing up in Kentucky. She often wondered what it would be like to be someplace she could just gallop for the sheer joy of it. As for the sword part, well, it had the allure of being dangerous and something people would never expect out of her. Which made it exactly the sort of thing she wanted to do.

The drive continued with amicable discussion all the way back to Yokosuka. It was late in the afternoon by the time they were waved through the gate at Camp Augustus. Outside the main building, Felicia was waiting for them. The cinnamon haired Warrior Bunny bowed.

"Welcome back, my lord. The gate guard informed us you had arrived."

"Thank you, Felicia," He gestured to his mother. "Felicia, this is my mother. Mom, this is Felicia. She's one of Lady Octavia's personal retainers. Is a room ready for my mother? She's had a very long journey."

"Yes, my lord." She turned to Taylor's mother. "I will have your things brought to your room, My Lady but Lady Octavia has requested if you would see her now?"

"Well, alright. I guess."

Felicia nodded and turned to Panache and Aurelia. "Then, if My Lord and Ladies will come with me? Lady Octavia is waiting."

Lady Octavia studied the woman who entered the hall with interest. The Lady Ruth was small in size but very striking, she seemed to prefer a simple but clean look. She did not carry the attitude of someone who felt the need to impress others but at the same time, she would not allow herself to be intimidated. While she might claim to be of common stock, she was most uncommon. Octavia allowed herself a small smile. "Welcome, Lady Ruth," Octavia greeted."I am Octavia." She gestured to an open seat at the table next to her. "Won't you join us? I've been looking forward to meeting you. We have many things to discuss!"

Ruth sized up the other woman: Tall and lean but with arms and hands that spoke of someone used to doing work. She was used to being in charge but didn't strike Ruth as conceited. It was a pleasant subversion of her classically held opinions of 'nobility' as a bunch of pompous, arrogant, and lazy cretins who enjoyed power without either earning or respecting it. But then, Ruth had found that Panache was the daughter of a baron and still Ruth found her an admirably strong person of character and ability. Their shared interest in horses was one of a number of things they could relate on.

Thank you," she said, taking the offered chair. "Of course Ruth is fine. I'm no 'Lady'."

Octavia smirked. "Neither am I but they call me that anyway." She looked up at Felicia. "Please have some food brought in for Lady Ruth and some coffee. Strong and black?" She asked her guest of honor.

"Please."

"Yes, My Lady," Felicia curtsied as Octavia motioned for Ruth to take the seat next to her.

Lady Octavia gave her husband a mild look and glanced to the door. "Husband," she spoke. "Why don't you and William take a walk before dinner? I will have Aurelia get you when dinner is ready."

The Legate nodded and clapped a hand on William's shoulder. "Now, 'son', you can tell me about how you fought the Flame Dragon... while the womenfolk plot world domination."

"Plot it, sir? I think they've already achieved it."

"All the more reason to accede to their wishes. Trust me, Octavia and your mother, if I am to judge her correctly, will let us know when we are needed, and not a moment sooner."

"I suppose that's true." The two men walked out to the courtyard. Germanicus favoring his right leg just slightly.

"Your world is full of wonders, son. Your healers did amazing work healing my wounds."

"I guess centuries of finding better ways to take bodies apart has given us some incentive to do better at putting them back together."

"I suppose that's true. We never stood a chance, did we?" He asked frowning at the ground.

"No. In other places, you might have had more initial success but even in the undeveloped countries, sooner or later, one of the big powers would have stepped in. Even in the worst armpit hole of a country that no one likes, eventually someone would have stepped in and crushed your army because we couldn't allow anything like The Empire to even think it had a chance of going any further."

"A lot of things are going to change in my world. I'm not sure it will have a place for an old soldier like me." He faced Taylor squarely. "At least my wife has an eye for the future. I trust you will look out for our family."

"To the best of my ability," Taylor promised. "But I wouldn't hang up my sword just yet if I were you, sir. The Empire will still need an army, one that its people have the skills to support and maintain. And that army will need good, professional officers." He paused, recalling a detail intelligence learned after the First Battle at Alnus. "It was Legate Titian who commanded the Empire's forces at First Alnus. We know you put him in command of your reserves at the Gate."

"Yes. He was a good soldier."

"And in some regards, your protege?"

"He served with me from the days when I was a centurion and he was a fresh optio and my second in command. It is fair to say, we learned side by side, the arts of war."

"We estimate he had 35,000 men and lacking support. He still fought with ingenuity and courage. If the main army under Senator Godasen had been under Titian's command, we might not have done so well getting in."

Germanicus pictured Titian in his mind's eye, working his men. Dealing with Godasen. "My friend… a good man lost to foolishness."

"Your army will need to be an army of professionals now more than ever. I think now, it will be inevitable that when they learn of the losses the Empire has taken, others will try to take advantage of the situation. I'd say it's certain the Empire will be at war again, probably soon. And when that time comes, the Empire will need you."

"Perhaps. But forgetting that you are my wife's heir, why would the 'enemy' wish for the Empire to have a viable army?"

"Well, not to fight us, of course, but the Empire controls a huge area of land and millions of people. When countries die, they leave a lot of misery and chaos in the wreckage. What our governments will want after this war is over will be trade and stability. One Empire is a lot easier to deal with than ten thousand warlords struggling for power and control."

"Point taken." Germanicus smiled. "So you and Aurelia actually killed a Flame Dragon?" He asked, changing the subject.

"Well, there were a couple of Apostles involved but one was one our side so I guess it all evens out."

Meanwhile, in the main hall, Lady Octavia ordered libum served as she introduced Ruth to those gathered. She smiled as Ruth studied her plate with curiosity. "Libum is our version of cheesecake. It's quite good with warm honey although I must admit I have developed a fondness for your American cheesecake. I believe William said that you like strawberry cheesecake? I've developed a liking for it myself."'

"Now and again. I indulge a little," Ruth admitted. As she looked around, she was a bit surprised she actually found herself interested in and even enjoying the company around her. She supposed it was because Octavia and her other guests lacked the pretentiousness she always imagined in 'nobility'. She sampled a bite of the libum. "This is pretty good. I'll bet William has never tried it though."

Octavia quirked a smile. "Oh? What makes you say that?"

"He's never been one to try new things. Give him a choice between something familiar and trying something new, he'll always pick the one he's familiar with."

"Actually," Octavia smirked. "I must admit I mousetrapped him into trying it. You've raised him to be very polite, after all, so I had Lucilla serve him libum she made herself. He couldn't stand to disappoint her."

"How did he take it?" Ruth asked.

"Like all small boys when they are confronted with something they really don't want to do," Octavia told her with humor in her tones.

"Sounds about right," Ruth admitted, smiling at the two little boys happily playing under the watchful eye of their sister.

"He just wasn't going to disappoint his sister."

"I wish I could say that was my experience raising him and his brother and sister. Of course, being the youngest child, he simply just didn't fit in their social circles."

"Did you ever consider having any more children?"

Ruth scowled. "My husband decided that three was enough so he got his tubes cut." She made a motion of scissors. Frowning a moment at some of the confused looks she was getting, she paused. Gesturing downward, she considered how to explain. "It's called a vasectomy. Basically, he can still um… run up the flagpole but his little soldiers are going into battle unarmed." She sighed, rephrasing. "He couldn't produce any more heirs." She raised a finger in bitter memory. "And then he called and told MY mother, 'Your daughter can't have kids anymore'."

Several faces flushed in anger that a husband would be that cold. Nayu cast a worried glance to her mother and grandmother, one which did not go unnoticed.

"He's heard that story and he had the same look on his face as most everyone here. I raised him better than to pull shit like that." Ruth told them.

"Have you considered remarrying?" Octavia asked.

"I'm not the kind to go looking at my age. Besides, I'm free. Aside from my children, leaving me was the best thing that man ever did," she said matter-of-factly.

"Maybe you just need a husband who has already been 'broken in'?"

"How broken?" Ruth replied in the same mischievous tone as her host.

After a few minutes of discussion, Nayu turned and asked a question that Panache, Aurelia, and Aenaire were also all curious about. "Did William have many girlfriends?"

"No, only two… one and a half really. The first one was more of a one-way thing. The girl definitely had a fixation. The other one, he really liked but she… made a different choice."

"I can't believe there weren't more girls than that!" Octavia replied. "I've seen some of my own ladies in waiting looking at him."

"Oh! There were a few when he was in high school that were looking his way. He just never noticed. I think he thought the pretty girls wouldn't want anything to do with him so he just never looked." She turned to Panache. "I guess it just goes to show you that sometimes hitting him over the head just might have been the best strategy!"

Octavia laughed and then waved in apology. "I'm sorry, but that sounds so much like Germanicus when he was young. So very serious! And yet shy around women. It helped that Videlia was as interested as I was. She made an excellent accomplice!"

"I'd like to meet her!" Ruth told her.

"We would like that as well," Octavia replied sincerely. "But tell me, although we are most grateful for the results but how is it that a woman like yourself ended up marrying such a child?"

"Well," Ruth considered. "I come from a place called Kentucky. It's a very pretty place but while some people own large horse plantations, my family weren't so rich. My father fought for everything we had and he made a home for my mother and the three of us kids and his younger brother. One of his older half-sisters kicked us out of our home one wintry night when I was two. But we still had a little piece of land left. So as my mother tried to watch her children and pack what she could at the same time, my father took an ax and he and his brother went out to the piece of land they had left and chopped down trees and built a cabin for his family. No matter how hard life tried to knock us down, he kept working hard and if we weren't prosperous, we weren't destitute either.

"But, it turns out I was a pretty good student. Passing my classes with 'flying colors'" She laughed. "I didn't know what that was supposed to even mean until William explained it to me that it meant success worth celebrating, 'with all flags flying and all," she explained.

"Anyway, I was a good enough student that I had a chance to join the Navy and get out of Kentucky. Because I wanted something different for my life. So I enlisted and became a corpswoman. I worked in hospitals, taking care of the things that Doctors and nurses weren't supposed to have to worry about. And that's where I met a fairly handsome man whose family owned a horse breeding farm near Louisville. His family was very rich and he decided I was going to marry him. And then… Then he decided to have one of his Army buddies follow me around, guarding his prize. That's when I understood that I was supposed to be his 'trophy wife'. I would do what he said, look pretty and tolerate whatever he might get into. I decided I wasn't having any of that! He wasn't going to control me. So I found this pretty looking kid from New York and when he got the nerve to ask me out, I let him! He wasn't wealthy or particularly ambitious. As a matter of fact, before he met me, all he wanted to do was finish his enlistment and get back to running the streets. But he was pretty and I thought I could make something of him. I guess I kinda overreached on that," she shrugged. "I have no regrets."

"I feel you truly are like my sister, Ruth," Octavia told her and then noted the time.

"Now! Felicia, Go and collect My Lord and My Heir. Dinner should be ready by now."

"Yes, My Lady." Felicia acknowledged and went to get Germanicus and Taylor.

As Felicia left the hall, Octavia looked at Ruth with a speculative expression which Ruth returned with a curious look of her own.

A couple of minutes later, Felicia returned with her Lords in tow.

"Ah! Our Lord and Our Son have returned!" Octavia announced. "This is very good as Lady Ruth has an announcement." Octavia was failing to hide the smile on her face.

Ruth stood up with a warm smile and stepped around the table with open arms and embraced Germanicus in a hug. "Welcome home dear!"

* * *

 **Sadera**

By coincidence, at this same time, a different sort of family meeting was taking place in the Akusho District of Sadera. The heads of the three remaining Crime families in Akusho were meeting to celebrate the very recent demise of the Bessara family the previous night and to finalize a few matters regarding the disposition of the Bessara Family assets and continued relations with their new partners in the Pacific Allies. Speaking on behalf of the PA was a Captain in the British SAS. Two Gurkha sergeants were providing the visible protection for a man who hardly looked like he needed any protection, save his own abilities and the three surviving family heads understood all too well that other hands were watching, at the ready if anyone was stupid or foolish enough to threaten their new business partners.

"Alright, Captain Harrington," The head of the Gonzori Family began. "We delivered on our word and you quite clearly delivered on yours. The Bessara Family has been dissolved. And with that, we're ready to come to a full understanding with your people."

"Good. We're hoping that our dealings can be mutually beneficial."

"They already have been," 'Growler', Head of the Medusa Family grinned a toothy grin befitting his Feline heritage. "Bessara was dangerous to everybody. If I could have found it in the remains, I' da cut his heart out and fed it to the cubs! We may have had to put up with him but no one's exactly missing him either." The heads of the other families nodded in agreement.

"There is the issue of distributing Bessara's territory and operations." The head of the Paramount Family noted. "Your people took him out. None of us have any quarrel with you taking his territory." He pulled out a map but was stopped by a gesture from Captain Harrington, who pulled out his out map and list. The other Crime Lords were dismayed to see it included assets that even they had been unaware of.

"Aside from making food, clothing, and medicine available, we aren't interested in running Bessara's smuggling operations. If we need something we can't bring in ourselves, we'll contract out to one of you. The only weapons we'll be bringing in will be for our own use. So you can rest assured we won't be selling weapons to your competitors or anyone else. We do have to maintain our edge after all." The other men nodded in understanding. "We'll make our medical services available to anyone in the district including your people. Wealth should be enjoyed in health, wouldn't you agree?" Harrington remarked, then pointed to one particular location on the map of Akusho. "We claim the Bacchanalian and the Venus as ours. The rest of Bessara's gambling houses and brothels are yours." He then pointed to an abandoned warehouse. "This building is ours. After we finish fixing it up, we'll start bringing in Scotch Whiskey, which I know you've had the opportunity to sample, also beer. Guinness, not that shitty Yank beer." He smirked.

"Also, if you are attacked, you can call on our assistance, should you require it." Other than that, you already know our terms: We pay well for good information. If we need to do anything unusual, we'll let you know in as timely a fashion as possible. We won't move on your territories. Respect ours and everyone prospers. Agreed?"

"Agreed," Gonzoria answered with the others nodding.

"In that case," Harrington said, gesturing to an orderly who promptly carried over a bottle of Glenfiddich and presented it to Harrington who showed the others the unbroken seal and then opened it. "Here's to 'good business'."

A short time later, Harrington's lieutenant looked at him curiously. "Yes, Jerry?"

"We're actually going to be running a couple of brothels?"

"Oh, I know how it all looks, Jerry, but even if the Imperial Army doesn't venture into this part of town, some of their men most assuredly do and nothing loosens a man's tongue faster than alcohol and a lovely lady."

"I understand sir but I can only imagine would happen if the Daily Fail got hold of this story, sir."

"With luck, I shall be a general and quite retired before that happens. Sergeant Harkness!" Harrington beckoned to a burly, scarred man dressed in local attire.

"Yes, Captain?"

"Good work on that little assignment. Are you sure you got them all?"

"I've bugged every gambling hall in Akusho, Captain. And every house of ill-repute as well." Unfortunately, the latter task had not been as easy or as enjoyable as one might think since Harkness had to pretend to be drunk and get ejected before anything could develop beyond the requirements of the mission. The gambling houses, on the other hand… Well, there was a reason he'd been chosen for this assignment. "Of course, if the Captain thinks I may have missed a spot or two then I will gladly exert every effort to correct this deficiency."

"No, Sergeant, I'm only surprised you didn't rob the poor fools blind!"

"That would hardly be sporting, sir."

"Yes, well now we can tell Major Nyutabaru and Lieutenant Cruz that they can bring in the rest of their people."

"Yes, sir."

"And Horace?"

"Sir?" Harkness asked.

"You can keep that twenty percent cut of your winnings."

"Sir! I'm deeply hurt you'd say such a thing, sir!"

"Are you saying that you'd never take a fool's money?"

"No, sir. But this was in the line of duty! It'd be downright unpatriotic to take more than fifteen!"

* * *

 **A/N: Yes, a bit of canon plot had to be covered there. Of course, Captain Harrington and Sergeant Harkness are nods to David Weber's 'Honor Harrington' novels. And yes, Horace Harkness in the books is as much of an operator as he is here. Perhaps more so!**

 **Until next time!**


	43. The Janus Campaign Outtakes 1

**The Janus Campaign**

 **The Janus Files 1.**

Over the course of the writing of The Janus Campaign, some bits have arisen, mainly produced by my readers, describing incidents which may or may not have happened during the course of the events in this story.. Many of these were provided by taalismn

We present a collection of these here. Enjoy!

 **Death By Marriage…**

 **At The Manor of Baron Kalgi**

"Daughter, why am I only hearing through Count Palesti that you are engaged? This isn't some peasant, is he? You aren't pledged to some non-human?"

"He's human and he's the adoptive heir of the Octavus line."

"Good! Good! What else can you tell me?"

"Well, he's very proper and chivalrous..." Panache began.

"Yes, yes... " Baron Kalgi waved dismissively.

"He's very intelligent."

 _Great. I'll bet he's one of those philosophes. Just what I need to ensure strong grandsons._ "Don't tell me. He's an artist."

"Not at all, he's an officer."

"Well! That's more like it! Anything else?"

"He can't ride a horse, he couldn't fight with a sword if his life depended on it and He's with the army on Alnus Hill."

"You're trying to kill me aren't you daughter?"

"What was your first clue?"

* * *

 **Drowning in Science!**

 **General Hazama's Office**

"We're going to have to test ALL the local physical laws, General."

"Is this important?"

"Could be. Small changes could be significant enough to erode our current position of strength in the long term if we're unaware of them."

"Very well, how many eggheads will be needed to conduct your tests?"

"Well, we're going to need specialists from a number of fields..."

"From what fields?"

"Well, -all- of them to be on the safe side..."

"Holy ####ing eggplants! I can't re-assign troops to cover the numbers I think you're thinking of! What do you need to do?! Build a CERN-style particle accelerator on this side of the Gate?! Transplant Palomar-"

"Well, we WOULD like to get a few satellites into orbit...maybe multi-stage sounding rockets on repurposed SCUD mobile launchers- to start with..."

General Hazama groaned, seeing ANOTHER paperwork front opening up, this one with the scientific community...

* * *

 **What A Girl Needs…**

 **Ginza District, Tokyo**

Shino walked up to Itami with Lady Panache in tow. "Squad leader? Panache asked me to help her with some _personal_ things."

Itami speculatively looked past Kuribayashi at Panache. "Oh?"

Shino: "Yes, _female_ items." The close combat specialist emphasized.

Itami's brain sounded an alarm. _Ew..._ Itami puts a hand up. "I don't wanna hear the details. You take care of it! Whatever she needs, I don't need to know about it."

Shino rolled her eyes and then smirked. "Yes, squad leader."

Itami frowned as a thought occurred to him. "Wait! Do any of the others need anything?"

Shino shrugged. "Not that anyone has said."

"Well make sure but be discreet!" Itami told her.

"Yes, squad leader!" Kuribayashi replied. She quickly checked with the other ladies, getting no particular interest from Pina, Hamilton, or Lelei, an arched eyebrow from Rory, and blushing from Tuka and Bozes.

Five minutes later, Shino lead Panache into Wacoal Ginza...

* * *

 **Love In The Age of Gates**

 **Call Center: Alnus**

Even in the midst of mankind's first inter-dimensional conflict, love still finds a way. Of course, explaining that love to the folks back home is always a task calculated to test the nerves and will. This is even more true in the age of interspecies romance:

 **Call to Nagoya, Japan**

"Hey mom. I'm calling to let you know that I'm coming home and that I met someone! Yes I'm bring her over. She's really nice and I'm sure you two will get along. Oh and while I have you, how do you feel about cats? Allergic huh... Does she have a cat? No... not really. In a manner of speaking..."

 **Call to Portland, Oregon**

"Hey, mom! Coming home for leave and bringing a special someone! Yes, I did! Dad and Little Sis are going to be home? Great! Tell me, though, has sis ever gotten over her fear of snakes?"

 **Call to Chicago, Illinois**

"Dad, I know you really believe what Father Dempsey sez about Hell and Satan and all that, but I'm hoping you don't take it too literally. Why am I bringing this up? Well, I met somebody over on the other side of the Gate and I'm thinking of bringing her to meet you all...and, well, in her case first impressions can be MIGHTY misleading-"

* * *

 **Inspection Day**

On a recent visit to inspect the troops deployed across the Gate, one American General saw the unintended consequences of crossing the local gods as he inspected the men of one particular battalion:

Inspecting General: "Why are all the men in 'A' company wearing sunglasses?"

Battalion CO: "They went into a town and there was an accident. A truck crashed into the temple of the Sun god and wrecked the place. So we got an annoyed Sun god who keeps shining the blinding light of the sun in their eyes."

"Alright, but why are the men in 'B' Company all wearing earpieces?"

"They interrupted a music festival at the temple of Lunaryur. Ever since that, they all keep hearing music that isn't there and it's off-key."

The general nodded. "I see. But Colonel? I don't even see 'C 'company. Where are they?"

"Um... Their CO found out one of his men was sneaking out to visit a brothel. So the Captain ordered his men to close it down. That pissed off the goddess of fertility. They've been useless ever since."

"What did she do?"

"Well, that was ten days ago. You know how they say if it lasts for more than four hours, seek medical attention...?"

* * *

 **Random Encounters**

 **Meteorological Station, Alnus**

"Judging from the speed and heading one of our weather balloon radio transmitters took after its line broke...we have to conclude something like a wild dragon ate it," an operator reported to the watch commander.

However, the tech beside him was not so certain. "Air elemental. They might have them here."

"Dragon, unless you produce evidence of air elementals."

The watch commander rubbed his eyes. "...Okay, who thought carrying copies of the D&D monster manual was a GOOD idea?!" He asked and reached for his coffee. Taking a sip, he sighed."So what's the recommendation for dealing with this thing?"

"Ah, let's see... _Cast Magic Missile,"_ the first tech answered.

"Great! Any of us have that? No? Then GRENADES! PLENTY OF THEM!"

"Well, we can always try to choke it to death with an MRE." someone muttered.

* * *

 **Dragon Envy**

As the days of patrols across the local countryside go by for the troops at Alnus, inevitably, while a few may find excitement, most find a pattern of boredom.

"So that Itami guy's got a Disciple, an elf archer, a human mage, dark elf ranger, and maybe even a human princess...yeah, I heard that one from the security detail on the capitol mission, and awards from a dozen kingdoms...That -Navy- guy's got a human noble woman, a rabbit warrior, an elf home maker, a dark elf ranger, and connections to some high houses in the empire...Just what have I got? Fleas and ticks and snakes. Even Anson's got more action than me, and they STILL haven't figured out how to turn him back from being a dragon!"

"They're not even sure he's a dragon, sir...least not one of the local dragon-types," Corporal Jackson replied.

"He's got a FOLLOWING. It's a pattern. People are picking up TEAMS around here."

"You've still got us, Sarge," Private Rawlings put in.

"...remember what I said about fleas and ticks?"

* * *

 **Scientific Method**

 **Imperial Palace, Sadera**

 **"HULK SMASH!"**

"...okay...who assigned Doctor Banner to the science team? 'Direct orders of Director Fury'?! Agent Coulson, why are you -grinning-?"

* * *

 **Planning For WHAT?**

-Plan Z(rev. 437)—Primary Containment, Attack of Undead/Animated Dead(w/ contagious component)

-Case SnowWhite—Attack on Metropolitan Areas by Subterranean-Dwelling Humanoid Sophonts(see attached Biology Profile#78 'Dwarves')

-Plan Minos—Containment of, Hostile Approach of, Herd of Bisonoid Humanoid Sophonts(see attached Biology Profile#88 'Minotaurs')

-Contingency Hamlin-Municipal Response, Mass Area Non-Physical Mental Attack on Children(aka 'Pied Piper Protocols')

-Case Ragnarok—Open Conflict with Non-Terrestrial God-Entities

* * *

 **Field Reports:**

(Selected excerpts from the Pacific Alliance JANUS field groups, Special Region)

-Report #234—

Aerial drone survey of NW grid 12-23 following trade path observed three human females making their way on foot 18.2 km west-northwest of POINT WESTPEG, Alliance responsible sector of Special Region. Appearance and behavior suggested distress, observed subjects attempting to move as quickly as possible, but showing no indication of escort in known bandit territory. Nearest patrol (FOX-SEVEN) informed, and airlifted to point 0.8 kms uproad of subjects and proceeded on foot to intercept and investigate.

Contact made, despite initial attempts by subjects to hide upon seeing approaching patrol, and through use of accompanying local translator, subjects identified themselves as escaped slaves taken in recent regional upheaval. Subjects also indicated they had escaped from a bandit encampment some distance away.

Drone survey directed in general direction and discovered indicated encampment matching subjects' description 5.5 km east-northeast of contact point. Thermal imaging estimated 20-30 occupants, at least a half-dozen mounts. Several outriders also observed by wide-pan survey, presumably looking for escaped slaves, or alerted by noise of aerial patrol.

Informed both JANUSCOM and ITALICA regional liaison. Bandit site deemed too far from ITALICA for appropriate response by augmented local forces, decision made to airlift remainder FOX platoon from POINT WHITEHEAD and reserve HOUND platoon from POINT EARL and attempt aerial encirclement of bandit site. Aerial recon by both drone and scout helicopter confirm body of armed men, no signs of official affiliation Saderan military, and several captives matching initial contacts' description. Target subjects showed signs of attempt to disperse upon observation of recon elements, and aerial suppression fire was initiated to contain attempted breakout. FOX platoon landed, with HOUND in overwatch reserve. Encampment captured with no friendly casualties, 18 confirmed bandit KIA, 6 wounded, total of 14 taken prisoner. Liberated 8 additional slaves. Both prisoners and ex-hostages evaced to Alnus, surviving mounts held in place by campsite survey guards until riders can be transported to take custody, or overland transport arranged for them .

-Report #236—

Engineering Report( 'C' Platoon) —Conducted road condition survey N-NE grid 41-17 with regards to feasibility of supporting armored columns. Sighted what were initially thought to be mounted bandits W-NW of position, but now suspect were elements of Saderan Imperial military, judging from observed personal gear on mounts and riders. Estimate 15-20 riders. Ordered personnel to assume aggressive defensive posture, but mounted party did not advance or venture closer than edge of visibility, and broke off contact after several minutes observation.

On return leg to Alnus, Stabsunteroffizier Wagner reported having a ration bar stolen by what he described as a 'faerie'. As no vomiting faeries or faerie corpses were subsequently observed along the roadside by following vehicles, it is presumed the experience was not immediately fatal to the local life.

-Report #245—

Company 'D', 1st Brigade, 101st Airborne— While engaged in searching for fugitives, got involved in straightening out local contretemps about land use and ownership in the absence of the regional village head and several missing local landowners. In spite of local squabble, managed to capture two known bandits taking refuge in the village.

(Attached note: Can we KEEP Corporal Owens? I'm glad he was cleared for restricted field duty, pending any new progress on clearing up his 'condition', but I haven't seen any sign of the 'draconic atavism' or 'transmorphic stress syndrome' some of the base shrinks were worried about. In fact, he's been the model of discipline in the squad. And damn, but he's got a better sense of smell than a bloodhound; he found that one hiding bandit sight unseen just like that! And having a talking dragon up close and personal shuts up most of the local troublemakers with just a stare—though I did have to discipline Corporal Murray for threatening one particularly vocal party with indicating that Corporal Owens would 'smoke him like a winter ham').

-Report #313—

Squad Charlie, 3rd Para, while investigating cave formations of Ridge 17(map grid 48-61) as possible bandit hideouts, discovered bear. Squad Charlie chased by bear. Requesting permission to keep bear.

-Report #409—

Company 'C', 2nd Brigade, USMC. Patrol on Road 18 fifteen kilometers south of Alnus encountered a small caravan of four dozen locals, horse- and carriage-borne. Conversation facilitated by translator indicates the caravan was of pilgrims on way to pay respects to 'the Sacred Hill of Alnus', that they were from the southern provinces of Sadera, and they were unaware of the recent events in the area. Assured them that the presence of the Alliance would not interfere with their safe passage through the area as long as they followed common sense rules, and that they could likely find good lodging at Alnus-Town, especially if they were willing to talk with humintel about their travels. Encounter convened peacefully and patrol resumed.

-Report #519—

Engineering Report( 'A' Platoon) —Assisted local farmers in rebuilding wooden bridge over creek, N-NW grid 54-14. Had opportunity to talk with local headsman. He indicated a number of local mines in the area that had been abandoned, but not played out, if we were interested. However, he warned that the mines were 'haunted', by what, he did not specify, but urged us to be very cautious. I'm taking that as a hint he would like to see the mines reopened, but doesn't have the resources to deal with whatever moved in on his own. On return to base we checked out the sites from a distance and confirmed the presence of the mines and their apparent abandoned state, but did not approach closer without further instructions or permission to 'dungeon crawl'(as Oberstabsgefreiter Gunther put it).

* * *

 **Communications Breakdown**

While being transformed into a powerful dragon with the ability of flight and having attracted a retinue of devoted followers may have had its advantages for Corporal Owens, there were some drawbacks as well...

"Okay. Let's try this again."

TapKRAKzizt

*"…help me mother…I am slain…."*

Owens looked in dismay at the cellphone impaled on his finger-claw.

"That's the fifth one already. I think we better call it a wash."

Corporal Dorn shrugged as he reached over and pulled the dead personal communications device off Owens' large forepaw and tossed it in the garbage bin atop several other late functional electronics.

"Yep, they just don't make touchscreens with dragon claws in mind. Neither sensitive nor tough enough."

"I don't suppose we could ask for something tougher…?"

"Not much, if any, call for that sort of spec in either the military or the commercial market. It would require a custom job and maybe some original R and D. I'm pretty sure your GI medical insurance doesn't cover it either."

"My GI medical insurance got voided on a LOT of things."

"I feel for you, man."

"That's not how the medical establishment defines me."

"You're breaking new ground for a lot of definitions. They just haven't caught up to you yet."

"It just irks me that I have opposable thumbs that clearly mark me as a tool user, but everything's either too small or too fragile to use."

"You're pretty good writing with a Sharpie."

"Yeah, but it means I have to send personal letters poster-rate. And I can't keep imposing on you guys to take my letters."

" Designate some of your followers as scribes. I'm sure they'd be glad to lend you a hand."

"I tried. The last update I sent home, they sent as a vellum scroll, and made it look like a religious proclamation. 'See ye the words of our Great Holy One-". My sister accused me of either going on an ego trip or becoming an evangelist."

"Then I'd keep looking at the idea of some of those adaptive technology workshops for special needs people. I rather think you qualify at this point, though you're not really handicapped overall."

"I suppose I should be grateful for that."

"Well, hey, there's nobody else I know of who has a blood pressure reading equivalent to aircraft hydraulics, who the AMA still certifies as in perfect health."

"Ah yes, and at least the Army's still covering my meals."

"The discovery that you can and will eat bones, stalks, and CANS does help balance the quantity with the ease of clean-up. And I think some of the KP staff see feeding you as something of a professional challenge."

* * *

 **Lessons From A Far Off World**

 **A few years later, Fort Campbell, Kentucky** :

"Alright! Maggots! Get your asses in line! You boys may think the little 'accident' that befell Sergeant Dawson yesterday was funny. You may think he was riding you hard. You certainly think you're pretty clever. Well, the Colonel has decided in his infinite wisdom to assign you a new platoon sergeant. I guarantee you won't be pulling your crap with him. He's pulled successive tours in Sadera and he's seen more sh!t than the lot of you ever will."

Anonymous soldier: "Bring 'im on sweetheart!"

Sergeant Major: "I was hoping you'd say that." Calls on body mic. "Sergeant, time to meet your new platoon."

A thirty-foot long dragon wearing the stripes and double rockers of a First Sergeant, landed in front of the platoon.

Sergeant Major: "Well maggots! Say hello to First Sergeant Owens. Try to stay on his good side..."


	44. Chapter 31: Cocktail Warfare

**The Janus Campaign**

 **Chapter 31: Cocktail Warfare**

 **Camp Augustus**

After nearly causing the respected Legate to have a heart attack, Ruth sat back down next to Octavia, the two women quite satisfied with their mischief. Germanicus, ruefully laughing at how the pair had caught him so completely unprepared. He could only be thankful that Videlia was back home. The last thing he needed was to have three of them working together. He took his seat on his wife's other side, while Taylor took the empty chair between his mother and Panache.

"So, mom? What do you think?"

"I think… I'm going to like it here." She shrugged. "That apartment is a bit boring, after all. Not enough for me to get into. Your brother and I haven't spoken since he stormed out. I haven't seen Claire in years and to hear her say that she didn't consider your brother as her daddy hurt. As much as I think Bryan needs to get himself together, I know how much he loves that girl." Ruth sighed. "And your sister has her hands full with Jonathan and now with Rachel and Casey and now Rebecca too! But she and I just don't seem to be able to meet half-way. I'd love for them to visit but I'm not going to be able to live up there. So that doesn't leave many choices.

"On the other hand, she smiled over at Galador. I've got a new grandson to get to know, two boys I'm just dying to be an Aunt to, And four well-mannered young ladies who want to give me more grandchildren And I've traded up in the sister department. I need something new in my life. So, if it's alright, I'd be happy to stay."

"Ruth," Octavia told her. "We would be delighted to have you with us!"

"What about when they go back through the Gate mom?"

"Son, you've got horses, clean air, fields of grass. Those are things I miss. Not to say I wouldn't mind a couple of solar panels. I like my TV and my DVD player and my coffee maker. But I haven't driven a car since you were fifteen. Washers and Dryers are nice but I've done it by hand. Nothing new to me. And I can be useful again. That's something I need."

Taylor nodded. He knew his mom was right. "Of course, there is one tiny matter…" He hesitated.

"Oh? What's that?"

"They're _English_." He said the word as if it were poisonous.

"English?" His mother narrowed her eyes. After testy relations with her in-laws, it had been her standing joke about not trusting the English. That her experiences had been with a not truly representative sample of English was beside the point. Several others also queried the word.

"Well, only distantly," Taylor admitted."We already knew that Saderan High Tongue is a form of English. So the upper classes speak a recognizable form of English. It's a good thing too, because Mother's," he indicated Lady Octavia, "library has some answers."

"Oh?"Octavia quirked her head.

"You have Chaucer's 'Book of the Duchess'. But you also have a book written by one John Chaucer:'Imperium' The answers are right there. It's just that One side didn't have the answers, didn't even know we didn't have the answers and on the other side, all the answers but forgot the questions or at least why they even mattered."

Taylor shook his head. "Imperial Year 103, 1396 on our calendar, John Beaumont, Fourth Baron, Beaumont led a force of three thousand men, including nearly one thousand knights plus longbowmen and auxiliaries, including the fifth child of Geoffrey Chaucer, named after the author's friend and patron, John of Gaunt, set out for Nicopolis in Bulgaria but never arrived. As it turns out, the crusade ended in a disaster. The English never arrived but the French couldn't exactly say anything since their knights were the ones that broke the Crusader ranks for a glory charge which caused the battle to fall apart. So despite reports that an English force had gone out, the English denied it ever happened.

"But apparently, it did, and according to 'Imperium' even if it wasn't the battle Beaumont meant to fight, three years later, in Imperial Year 110, The Saderan Empire was split between Cadus Sol Gaius, who had an army supported by the Orc Confederation and Aemilianus Co Senna, backed by the Senate over succession to the Imperial throne. Beaumont had carved out a small territory and threw in with the Senate in exchange for Beaumont's son being adopted by Senna. And with Beaumont came Middle English, Longbows, and one of the symbols of Beaumont's purported patron, the Duke of Lancaster, The Lancastrian Rose."

"What about the original Saderans?" Aurelia asked.

"I'm still working on that. The Legio IX Hispana seems to be a possibility though. It disappears from history sometime in the second century."

"I'm sure you'll figure it out," Ruth chuckled "Well, I suppose that's not too bad. Everybody's got to be from somewhere."

"True," Octavia smirked. But I find the future much more interesting, don't you?" She asked Ruth mildly.

"That's for sure."

"Well then! Welcome to the family!"

* * *

 **Akusho District, Sadera**

Mizari looked around the Venus with satisfaction. Ever since the death of Bessara, the place had been closed while the new owners carefully cleaned and repaired every inch of the establishment, Having come with the building in the bargain, Mizari and the other thirty girls had been forbidden from working until the healer said it was alright for them to do so. But still, they and another twenty girls whom Mizari had been instructed to hire had been more than well paid during this time. They were taught new rules for the conduct of their clients and also told that they would only service clients who showed a special token at the door. Three girls had actually not gotten permission from the healer to return to work but instead of being thrown out, they were under the healer's care and assigned to serve drinks instead. It was all very strange.

Although asking questions had never been encouraged by the previous owners, curiosity finally got the better of Mizari, who asked just why her new employers were making so many changes. Lieutenant Theisman explained:

"What we want is to attract clients who are willing to trade a little inconvenience for safety and discretion. And will pay well to get it." What was left unsaid was that the sort of men who could and would pay more for these services were men of a higher grade and station than a fresh-faced miles or an ordinary street hustler. These men would be men with information and secrets to hide.

Officially, of course, seeking out brothels was forbidden among the allied troops. _Of course,_ Theisman mused, _our governments certainly never envisioned us going out and actually operating a brothel but here we are._ But while the brass might publicly proclaim a 'Zero Tolerance' policy, reality knew better: That, at some point, some men would succumb to temptation and it was best if they were encouraged to go somewhere carefully monitored. So, unofficially it had been allowed to spread through the grapevine that personnel frequenting certain sanctioned establishments would not face censure. Theisman did not expect this to be a concern at the Venus or the Bacchanalian since the only allied personnel in Sadera were the very operatives now running those establishments. Still, it was best to have the rules in place, just in case.

Mizari was simply told that any allied personnel who showed up as clients would have to follow the same rules as everyone else. Everyone would be required to surrender any weapons on entry and Mizari and the other girls were not to take abuse from anyone. While theirs was hardly an ideal profession, the situation for the girls at the Venus was at least better than it had been. Going from a succubus to a courtesan, it was a good deal, Mizari decided.

* * *

 **Estate of Baron Varus Du Cinna**

Varus Du Cinna had been a powerful man once. Physically imposing, he had been a skilled warrior with a lust for life and a fondness for wine and women and had parlayed a successful career as a soldier and a number of successful campaigns into becoming a powerful voice in the Senate, backing the expansionist lobby. But now, time and loss had changed the proud veteran. In the years since his last active campaign, his appetites had only grown unchecked. Still, despite the excesses, he had used to care about his appearance. That was before the loss of both his sons and his grandson in the Empire's latest disastrous campaign. One son had commanded the Seventh Legion and had been proud to bring his own son named Varus in his father's honor, with him. No word had ever been heard from them since they crossed the GATE. His other son had commanded the Forty-Second Legion and died attempting to retake 'Sacred Alnus' from the Barbarians. His body had been recovered but Trajus had hardly been recognizable. His body mutilated by the Barbarians' weapons.

His wife had contentedly passed on years earlier but now Varus, the venerable old warrior, sat in his empty house, eating too much and drinking too much and cursing the Emperor for appointing that incompetent bungler Germanicus to command the Expedition, cursing that fool Godasen for wasting his other son and coming back alive without having retaken Alnus, cursing Germanicus loudly, loud enough that the man should still hear him in whatever justly deserved hell he was now in, cursing the Senate for their cowardice, cursing the gods for each and every sin they had committed against him. Right now, he was cursing his serving girl simply because he wanted to.

The servant in question simply bowed her head submissively and refilled his cup. His perpetual glower softened just a little as she gave a small smile and flicked her tail flirtatiously. Not that she wanted this old man to touch her but it did calm his disposition some. In any event, a little more wine and his lordship would probably be passed out for the next few hours, especially with the dwale added in for good measure

This made Baron Cinna's estate a very useful meeting place for Bouro and other important members of the Haryo. In her lord's absence, Vendetta was able to ensure the security and privacy that Bouro's plans required. Unlike Tyuule, Bouro's 'ally' of convenience, Vendetta was no slave. Nor had she been a queen for that matter. What she had been was a mistake, an indiscretion and one that like so many others had been quietly discarded before she could become an embarrassment to the powerful man who had sired her. That had been twenty years ago and she had endured the rough streets and alleys of Akusho while her mother suffered as a discarded plaything, a gentle and refined courtesan and mistress, now reduced to bedding the most base and vile men in the Empire to survive and to keep her daughter fed.

Vendetta was the name she gave herself when she was recruited into one of the local street gangs. If it was unpleasant, it was one way to stay alive in an unpleasant world. She had quickly learned how to handle herself in a fight and no one made the mistake of underestimating her twice. Except for the owner of the dive where her mother worked. It was an open secret how Nerus cheated his girls, at least those who couldn't fight back. He owned the flops where many of them lived and lent money when they were short on the rent or other necessities, ensuring they were caught in a cycle of dependence as they worked ever harder and he continued to cheat them.

Eventually, her mother owed too much. Nerus suggested that if her daughter started working for him, he would 'erase' the slate. But Andromeda had refused. Instead, offering herself to him. It was after a particularly brutal night that Vendetta learned what was happening. She snuck into his room the next night and pressed her dagger to his throat, and warned him never to touch her mother again. A week later, Andromeda was nearly beaten to death by Nerus in retaliation as his initial fear had been overcome by anger and a need to punish them both for that fear. That night, as her mother stayed with one of the few trusted healers in Akusho, Vendetta returned to Nerus' chambers. The next morning, his mutilated body was found face up in his bed. It was at this point that Bouro stepped in. The gang which Vendetta belonged to was one of his recruiting groups and According to Bouro, Vendetta and her mother would be useful to him outside of Akusho.

Bouro explained that he was a half breed like Vendetta and that they represented a 'New Race born upon The New World' That she and her mother could be useful in ensuring the survival of their kind. Not really trusting Bouro but having no real choice, Vendetta agreed to become his agent and soon, she and her mother were moved to a safer place where Andromeda was told to instruct her daughter in the ways of courtly manners and grace. And when Vendetta had learned her lessons to Bouro's satisfaction, he arranged for her to be hired into the Cinna household where she was to ingratiate herself and report on the goings on of the household.

Vendetta played her part to perfection, never letting anyone ever suspect where her loyalties lay. She had actually been working on attracting the attentions of the Baron's grandson. He was a perceptive young man who was rather attractive and well built as a human. It was an unfortunate shame that he had been lost in the disaster of The Expedition, especially worse since the loss of his father and his uncle meant that her current position relied on the survival of one foul old man.

Strangely, Bouro had said that amid this calamity might come an opportunity. And as he and her other 'guests' arrived it seemed that her time was coming.

And when that time came, she planned to settle some accounts long overdue.

* * *

 **Imperial Park, Sadera**

Youji Itami was very much relieved to be back to doing something a little closer to his normal skill set than chasing dragons. With the Diplomatic Mission ensconced in the Jade Palace and with the first overtures made to Lord Cicero, it was time to put on a little demonstration to underscore to Cicero and a select group of Senators, whom Pina had named as possible swing votes in the matter of the Senate's willingness to pursue peace, just how out-matched they were. It did not matter how many bodies they conscripted, in the measure of that army's killing power, the Allied Forces were exponentially more powerful in ways the Saderans could never match. Of course, while Itami's squad was there to spell out the military situation to the Senators, the actual diplomacy would be in the hands of Ambassadors Sugawara and Russell and of course, Princess Pina serving as hostess.

Surprisingly, Pina was aided in her efforts by the elder sisters of Countess Myui. With Pina having taken de facto guardianship of Myui, her sisters had both been chastised and somewhat embarrassed by the whole matter. What they had also begun to notice is that in spite of the failed assault on Italica and the damages done and losses sustained there, Italica was prospering in a way no other location in the Empire was faring. With the two older sisters suitably chastened by their husbands after their behavior had nearly sparked a house war between them, they were now both anxious to repair their standing in the eyes of the Third Princess and to partake in the prosperity that Italica was now experiencing. With these goals in mind, both sisters were quite eager to offer Her Imperial Highness any assistance they could, making a not inconsiderable contribution to the fete, providing both staff and helping make the arrangements for the social part of today's festivities.

Among those attending was Sherry Tyueli, daughter of House Tyueli. Her father was a close cousin of the noted Senator, Marquis Casel. But what mattered to Sherry at this moment was the strutting of her cousin Amarula as she showed off the pearls gifted her by the Count of Campari on behalf of his son, a young man of seventeen, one of a very few who managed to distinguish himself amid the disaster of the expedition, rescuing his injured commander who had been wounded while leading his troops back to the Gate amid the chaos of the day..Having survived such a defeat and actually distinguishing himself, the young man had become quite smitten by the graceful young Amarula and with his father's consent, announced his desire to court her in marriage.

So it was that Sherry, all of thirteen and only just shy of her fourteenth birthday, could not quite suppress the envy she felt, being herself ready to find a husband in a country where eligible young men were currently in scant supply. But Sherry saw greater possibilities. She had been introduced to Ambassador Sugawara briefly at a much smaller gathering at Marquis Casel's estate two weeks earlier. The introduction had been perfunctory but Sherry paid close attention to the alien and enigmatic diplomat. He was certainly more refined than the young men she knew. Now Sherry intended to catch the eye of Sugawara. It was only right that if Amarula could find a suitor, then so could she.

 _"...Be a good girl and you will receive a wonderful gift. I promise!"_

Those words from Sugawara were like electricity to Sherry, causing her to blush and feel so much like the child she repeatedly assured herself she was not. It had been such an impetuous act but Sugawara had seen fit to give her his pledge! It was as simple as that.

As Sherry left with her parents, Ambassador Russell strode over to where Sugawara was standing with a mildly amused Princess Pina.

"I'm sure in a few days, that girl will be receiving a set of Japanese pearls that will leave her cousin quite envious!" Pina noted.

"I'd love to have a connection with Marquis Casel."

"I would be very careful to make sure I forged the right sort of connection, Mister Sugawara. A young girl often has expectations and a girl with expectations spurned can be a very dangerous enemy," Russell noted.

"You know a woman's heart well, Mister Russell," Pina chuckled.

"Only more in hindsight than foresight. I find diplomacy infinitely simpler," Russell said in rueful amusement.

"Well, that girl definitely has a crush on you Mister Sugawara." Pina smiled.

"Surely, you jest!" Sugawara replied, genuinely surprised at the notion. Of course, the briefing packets had mentioned that Saderan daughters often married at a younger age than was the accepted norm in modern societies but intellectual knowledge was not the same as emotional knowledge. And in a man, so career driven as himself, Sugawara had developed an emotional blindspot in regards to his own social awareness.

"She's quite serious, Mister Sugawara. Powerful and mysterious are the currents of a young girl's heart," Ambassador Russell noted.

In the meantime, Itami began the demonstration of the Howa Type 64 rifles carried by most JSDF personnel in the Janus Theater. In addition to Cicero and Lord Ducie, six other Senators were in attendance, along with Gaius Fure Scipius, one of Pina's Thorns and the archery instructor for the Rose Order, as were a fire team from Lieutenant Mayer's Marine detachment led by Sergeant Hill and manned by other veterans of the fighting at 'Alamo East'. The marines had suggested some modifications to Itami's plans. First, rather than the empty armor suits recovered after the initial assault on Alnus, The marines arranged for the armor to be strapped onto several pig carcasses. That the bullets would penetrate the armor was not in doubt but adding blood and allowing the Senators to inspect the wounds would further underline their message. Before Itami's men took to the range, Scipius would demonstrate the comparative range and efficiency of the standard Imperial Warbow as a control. A series of targets set at fifty-yard intervals was provided for him and, indeed, in a performance that impressed Sergeant Hill, Scipius was able to hit a target over four hundred yards away and even effectively penetrate targets at three hundred yards and maintaining a rate of six shots a minute over several minutes in a performance definitely worthy of the second best archer in the entire Rose Order.

It was a master's performance and the Senators all understood that as they were allowed to inspect his targets.

Then, the range was cleared and Third Recon's rifles opened up.

Seeing the torn and bleeding carcasses, Cicero and his fellows were aghast, shocked at the level of carnage they witnessed. Cicero's first instinct was to try and convince Itami to sell rifles to Sadera or better yet tell them how to build their own but it quickly became clear that their opponents had no intention of tossing away any advantages they held over the Empire.

Next, One carcass dressed in the armor of a Saderan General was set up behind and to the right of the Senators. After inspecting the damage inflicted by the Japanese rifles, the Senators were invited to watch as Hill radioed Corporal Rice to 'Begin stalking'.

 _"Roger that."_

Sergeant Hill and his men provided each of their guests with a pair of field glasses, showing them how to focus in on one of the distant targets.

"In this exercise, Corporal Rice is out there somewhere. The objective is to spot him before he shoots our target, General Porkus Maximus, standing back over on your right."

Over the next several, tense minutes, the Senators searched until suddenly a shot rang out, striking the target square in the chest, piercing the armor and savaging the tissue behind.

"Good shot Corporal. Stand up."

Standing up roughly eight-hundred yards away, Corporal Rice then took aim and sent six more shots into the target in rapid succession, underscoring that the initial hit had, in fact, been taken by someone unseen, firing from a range far beyond any archer in Falmart.

This was followed by a demonstration of small, portable mortars. The demonstrations had the desired effect as Cicero, Lord Ducie, and the other Senators present understood that a continuation of the War would only bring the Empire to ruin.

Further conversation was interrupted by the approach of uninvited riders. Itami and Hill quickly assembling their people to secure the site and evacuate Cicero and his fellows while Sugawara returned to the Garden Party.

"We have company," Sugawara said as he approached Pina and Ambassador Russell. The two ambassadors blending in with the local nobles and Mister Russell looking for all the world like the patriarch of some great Imperial family.

"Brother!" Pina called as she recognized Prince Zorzal at the head of the riders entering the park.

"You seem disappointed to see me," Zorzal noted as one of his men sniffed the air with a frown.

"Not at all!" Pina answered her brother. "It's just that you never seemed to enjoy gatherings like this. Had I planned a tournament, then surely I would have invited you right off! That is if I could not convince you to participate. But your skills are somewhat wasted amid mere social gossip."

"I suppose you're right," Zorzal chuckled. Apparently, he was the victim of either a prank… And gods knew that Diablo was perfectly capable of pulling something like this simply to enjoy making him run about like a fool. Or he was merely the victim of an old man's paranoia. Well-intentioned but still a bit of a waste on his time.

"Forgive me, your Highness, but what is that smell?" One of Zorzal's men, Vedastus, if Pina recalled correctly, sniffed with disapproval.

"It must be the food," Pina suggested. "Since you came all this way, it would be rude not to offer you food and refreshment." She gestured to where a large powerfully built man with a thick beard was turning a sizeable rack of meat. "Ah! Mister Dessioux! Brother, meet Mister Dessioux, he and Mister Furuta have been in charge of catering this affair for us."

Even as Vedastus continued to sniff with growing consternation, Zorzal having already decided that this errand had been a waste, turned to inspect the various meats. One, in particular, seemed to catch his eye. "It's yellow," He noted.

"Ah! That would be Furuta's Karashi Mustard," Dessioux noted. "I prefer a friendlier blend myself. That Karashi has some serious kick to it but I'll admit you gotta be a real man to handle it."

Zorzal, of course literally bit at the implied challenge. Even as his eyes watered and he fought down the fire, he pointedly glared at his fellows to join him, daring them to flinch in front of him as he declared the Karashi rubbed Ma-Nuga meat to be worthy of his tastes.

Vedastus frowned as he stared at the meat.

"What's the matter, boy?" Dessioux frowned. "There are only two kinds of folk that turn their nose at good barbeque: Food Snobs or Vegetarians. Which one are you?"

Under Prince Zorzal's glare, Vedastus bit into the Ma-Nuga meat, riding down the burning in his throat. He finally slowly, reluctantly nodded his agreement with his Prince's appraisal of the meat. Still…

"This is still not what I was smelling before, sire. A foul smell of sulfur…"

"Ah Then!" Mister Russell spoke up, approaching Pina. "That would be the smell of Firesticks from the land of Zhongguo." He nodded to where a couple of young men were lighting fireworks. The men in question were actually a couple of Marines in local garb. They had been setting off fireworks for the past hour or so to cover the sounds from Itami's makeshift firing range. "I'm told they're supposed to drive off evil spirits."

"Better light a few more. There's still a rather nasty one right in front of us," the voice of the Second Imperial Princess spoke up from behind Pina, its owner giving a disdainful look at Zorzal. Then her expressions changed as she addressed Pina as Princess Livia walked up, cradling her son contentedly.

"Ah! Pina!" Claudia exclaimed. "So sorry to drop in unannounced!" She said conversationally then turned to Zorzal. "Though I am surprised to see you here. What? Did the zoo throw you out? It is a zoo after all, not a hunting preserve."

Zorzal snorted superiorly as Pina watched the interplay between her siblings with visible dismay. "Such an attitude, dear sister. Remember, I will be sitting on the Imperial throne one day. You need to learn to speak with greater care. Especially in front of my nephew. It would do him no favors if he learns to emulate your behavior."

Livia looked up from her son, her voice pitched low and deadly cold. "You may become Emperor one day, Zorzal. But, my son is a king. It is you who should choose his words with greater care in my son's presence."

After an infuriating moment, Zorzal laughed. "I see life away from Sadera has not done anything for your temper, sister." He turned to Pina. "It seems our siblings all conspire to make sport of us. I, however, have no more time for games. I will trouble your cooks for a bit more of that excellent Ma-Nuga meat before I go. I admit it is a breath of fresh air to a palate which has been disappointed as of late. I may have to steal the cook!"

"Of course brother!" Pina nodded in relief and as soon as his mounts had been fully laden with 'take out' as Pina remembered the term Taylor used, Zorzal and his entourage finally left.

Watching them go, Claudia gave them a smirk and a little wave as they departed. Livia merely sighed as she held her son, who was still content to sleep in her arms. But now she looked up and nodded to Claudia, who nodded back and turned to Pina.

"Now that pale imitation of a quarter-wit is gone, shall we discuss what you are really up to, little sister…?"


	45. The Janus Campaign Outtakes 2

**The Janus Campaign**

 **The Janus Files 2: It's a mad, mad, mad, mad Empire!**

As with the first excerpts of the Janus Files, over the course of the writing of The Janus Campaign, some bits have arisen, mainly produced by my readers, describing incidents which may or may not have happened during the course of the events in this story.. Many of these were provided by taalismn

We present more of these here. Enjoy!

* * *

 **It's Tradition, By George!**

SAS Commander: "We pull this off, chaps, they'll have to strike off a new St. George award just to honor genuine dragon-slaying."

"Sir, given that it's been talked about that the Gate may have opened in medieval times, how do we know St. George didn't REALLY kill a bloody dragon?"

SAS Commander: "Then we're following in a fine British tradition!"

* * *

 **All In The Planning**

Itami: "Taylor! It's ALL your fault!"

Taylor: "WHAT is my fault, Itami?"

Itami: "Ever since Aurelia described your house system to the girls, I can't get away with ANYTHING! Lelei has been drawing up schedules, Rory has taken on the role of House enforcer, Tuka is using those big innocent eyes on me and Yao! Around her, I can't even trust my own words! So it's all your fault! They're even calling Risa to get more stuff to blackmail me with! Risa's talking about moving back in with me! Damn it!"

Taylor: "I'm sorry. I'd love to help..."

Aurelia: "I'm sorry, my Lord but we need to be going. You need to be ready for Her Highness's party!"

Taylor: "Of course. You've all been looking forward to that. I'll start getting ready. Dress Whites?"

Aurelia: "Yes, my lord! Remember that your mothers will be there."

Itami: "Mothers, plural?"

Aurelia: "Oh yes! My mother, Nayu's mother, Lady Kalgi and her husband, Lady Octavia and Father, and Mrs. Taylor. Oh! And Lord Itami, I told Her Holiness and Miss Tuka that Her Highness has requested your presence also."

Rory's voice called from nearby: _"Youji..."_

Itami: "Dammit Taylor! Today was Comiket!"

* * *

 **Civil Defense**

In the wake of the Ginza Incident, quite a few cities began taking looks at their own layouts and drawing up plans of what to do if a Gate showed up in THEIR neighborhoods.

Naturally, some of the property owners around New York City complained about the local police/National Guard approaching them about checking on renting(at discount) or commandeering, normally-high rent properties and looking into how best to turn them into local strong points…especially those properties overlooking Central Park.

"You want to know how best to knock out the windows for WHAT?!"

"Well, we figured we would put in a couple of heavy fifty-calibers, maybe a twenty-millimeter cannon …"

"!"

"Up to maybe a forty-millimeter if we can get it up your elevators. Or maybe we could get a Javelin team set up…there's enough room and ventilation in those apartments to handle the backblast, right?"

"!"

In _other_ cities, it was a _lack_ of civic preparedness which raised protests from citizens...

"Boston and New York are holding anti-Gate drills; what if they come through in HARTFORD?!"

* * *

 **PS... I Love You?!**

"If we can just distract her for a moment," Itami suggested as Giselle came looking to settle the score.

"Right," Taylor nodded then shouted at Giselle. "Did you know you're beautiful when you're angry?"

Giselle stopped. "I... I'm beautiful? How beautiful am I?"

After a moment of surprise Itami fell over laughing. "Way to go! He wants to take you home to his mother! True love man!"

Giselle happily wrapped Taylor in a crushing embrace. "May Hardy grant me your soul forever!"

 _CRAP!_

Itami continued to laugh.

Taylor shot him a look. "If I agree to marry you, will you kill him as my wedding present?"

* * *

 **Vintage Spirits**

Elder: "On occasions like this we bring out the good booze."

Itami: "Which would be-?"

Elder: "Bottled seven hundred years ago."

Taylor: "Hey, look at the time! Sorry, love to stay, but we have places to go and people to see! Come along now!"

Itami: "You're sure in a hurry..."

Taylor: "...you really wanna stick around and tempt drunken shenanigans off centuries-old booze?"

Itami: "RIGHT! We are moving OUT!"

Matriarch Kyas: "Seven Hundred Years ago? Oh! I remember that batch! No... I don't think I'll have any of that. I've got some Twelve-Hundred-year-old stuff. Smooth."

* * *

 **Gross Anatomy**

"All we've gotten to look at are little ones...oh, and that transformed corporal...and some of the sorta-dragon sophont-folk...THIS is like going from studying pigeons to walking through RODAN. Can you save us some lung tissue? We'd love to see what this thing uses for an oxygen transfer mechanism. Internal organs! If you spot anything that looks like intact organs, tag it and bag it and get it chilled! I'd PAY if we can get some intact parts of the heart! Damnit, I need a FREEZER CAR up here for our samples!"

(distant voice from the depths of the crater) "I think I found SPLEEN!"

* * *

 **Marriage in Triplicate!**

Seeing a trend in it amongst personnel in the Janus/Special Region, governments have come out with several application forms; one for the single bride/groom, and the other for the other multiple partners.

"Form 244125-: Application for Recognized Group Familial Marriage-(Anchor)

Name:

National Affiliation:

Rank:

Gender:

Reasons for Special Consideration, Janus/Special Region Conditions(Check relevant boxes):

A: Declared by a community of 500 or more citizens and/or recognized Apostle of local god-entity to be appointed Champion/Avatar(attach signatures)

B: Declared by local god-entity to be Avatar/Demigod/God-Entity's Consort(provide witness statements)

C: Adopted by local aristocracy to peerage(Baron or higher)(provide signed official adoption)

D. Transformed/transfigured into post-human/creature of magic/demigod(attach medical files)

E. ...

"Form 33232324-: Application to Enter Into Recognized Group Familial Marriage-

Name:

National Affiliation:

Rank:

Gender:

Species/Race:

Anchor of Desired Group Familial Marriage:

Reasons for Desiring Entry into Group Marriage(Check relevant boxes):

A: Destined Love(attach affidavit of Oracle/priest/soothsayer)

B. Life Debt(Attach incident report detailing nature of life debt)

C: Arranged Marriage(Attach sworn statement of parents/guardians)

D. Psychological/physical Dependence on Group Marriage Anchor(attach physician's/psychiatrist's records)

E. Political/Dynastic Treaty(attach relevant treaty documents)

F.

"*Is your insanity permanent or temporary? Is it contagious?

*Are you currently taking substances that could adversely affect your judgment?

*Have you ever come under the influence of magic which could adversely affect your judgment?

*Have you gotten/discovered a tattoo or tattoos with the name(s) of any/all of the members of the group marriage on any part of your body? Are you regretting it?"

PROPOSAL ON THE ADDITIONAL LAW FOR INTERDIMENSIONAL MARRIAGE ACT.

The additional law as below;

1) must check financial, asset and bank statement of the anchor, whether he or she can afford the multiple spouses and possible children. Also, the spouse's statement as well whether they willing to share their income to support the anchor.

2) Any additional new spouses(when taken, the 2nd and beyond), the family/martial/religion court must receive _**BOTH**_ written and vocal agreement of first spouse(voice recording does not count). She or He has the power to say no and disagree with the choice of the spouse. When the anchor has more than 2(TWO) spouses, their "vote" will qualify as well.

3) Both 1st and 2nd MUST be fulfilled to make the marriage official.

4) Family records. Must make sure who your child is from which spouse. Neglected on this duty will lead to family abandonment and family problems. On the long terms, the threats of incest also raise a concern among conservative element if "anime siblings relation" is any indication. **  
**

* * *

 **War Powers**

Zorzal: "I want a war."

Senate: "You ain't getting a war."

Zorzal: "What do you mean? You heard me! I'm the Emperor! I want a war and I want it now!"

Senate: "No war. Not now, maybe later, but not now and not because you said so."

Zorzal: "Excuse me, but I can break you! I can order the army to kill your entire family!"

General: "Actually, no. Unless somebody presents compelling evidence that the Senate is engaged in treasonous acts, we can't move against them, or kill their families."

Zorzal: "Since when?! Defying me IS treason!"

General: "Not since the Reform Acts."

Zorzal: "WHAT REFORM ACTS!?"

Senate: "The ones that prevent Emperors from casually slaying Senators and ordering the Imperial Army on spear-fodder wars. THOSE Reform Acts."

Zorzal: "Well, I overturn them!"

General: "Can't, not without a majority of consent from the Senate."

Zorzal: "...Diablo put you up to this, didn't he?"

* * *

 **Comfort Food**

"Face it; they're not cute, or friendly, even when they're young. They're not particularly charismatic or photogenic. They don't act like baby seals. They smell bad. But they cook up real nice and tender and go well with a good beer."

"...you bastards...you shot me down, and now you serve me my own mount! AND MADE ME ENJOY IT!"

"Hey, why waste perfectly good meat? And it's not like the thing was a horse. If it were, we'd bury it with honors."

* * *

 **Legal Complications**

Animal Rights activists file a lawsuit against the Government for killing endangered dragons. The Government lawyers respond:

"The Dragon was clearly violent attacking anyone without any provocation."

PETA-Member "But-"

"FURTHERMORE! Not only was the Dragon sterile but it was also created by a goddess for basically shits & giggles meaning its survival will have absolutely no negative impact on the local ecosystem at all. It might even be better off."

"It attacked two communes of green-living elves. This is the equivalent of a rabid barbecue-fanatic attacking with a chainsaw a stand of young redwoods."

PETA-Lawyer: "You put me in the precarious position of alienating Green Party supporters if I try to defend the dragon. You are the more evil lawyer, I concede."

PETA Hardliner: "But the elves WEREN'T vegans!"

PETA-Lawyer: "Moonbeam, our moral position is eroding faster than a glacier under a greenhouse effect. The opposition will point out that the elves live hundreds of years in SPITE of hunting and eating meat. You really want that coming out?"

* * *

 **He Can Fly! But Maybe Shouldn't Have...**

Yep, no reports of 'Jet Aircraft Forced to Return to Airfield After Sucking Peter Pan into Engine" yet.

THORK!SHRAKgungungagungagungadrubblegungagunga

"What was that? Bird strike?!"

"Sounded too big to be a bird! It looked like a guy in green tights! Cut power to the port engine! I'm calling for an emergency landing!"

No big loss. The dude was hopped up on Pixie Dust!

* * *

 **Dragon Meet Trolls**

Corporal Owens stirred awake, blinking to see one of his squadmates staring at him.

"...how you feeling. Owens?"

"Huh, what do you mean?"

"Well, after last night."

"What about last night. I went out with you guys, you drank beer, I didn't, I went to sleep."

"Well, somebody slipped you some beer-"

"They did?"

"And you didn't...nobody expected THAT reaction..."

"Reaction?...what reaction?"

"I think Command's going to want to talk to you soon."

"Huh About what?"

"Those three villages."

"WHAT three villages?!"

"Well. they might still count as three villages...if they've managed to put the fires out yet."

"FIRES?!"

"Oh, you wouldn't have remembered that after what happened last night."

"WHAT DID I DO LAST NIGHT?!"

(new soldier comes in) "Hey, how's our merry arsonist feeling this morning?"

"He doesn't remember a thing."

"...ARSON...?!"

"Oh, that's good. Keep it up, and your lawyer might be able to work it into an insanity defense."

"LAWYER?!"

"Hey, want me to call you one before the MPs come in here?"

(Meanwhile, the other guys are outside watching the surveillance cam they've got trained on Owens' face and laughing themselves silly).

* * *

 **The Age of Enlightenment**

Oh, and the wonders of technology...

Hut 17, Camp Charon, Iwo Jima:

Hut 17, Camp Charon, Iwo Jima:

Hut 17, Camp Charon, Iwo Jima:

FlipKLICK

FlipKLICK

FlipKLICK

FlipKLICK

FlipKLICK

"DEDIUS! QUIT FLIPPING THE LIGHTS! WE GET IT ALREADY! YOU DON'T HAVE TO KEEP PLAYING WITH IT! TURN THEM OFF AND LET US GET SOME SLEEP!"

"But...It's so...Incredible!"

* * *

 **Benefitting From Experience**

Sometime in the future:

 _Meeting the Unexpected (A Documentary Film)_

(Opening shot of a military staff officer at the front of a room, slowly walking to the left of frame)

Officer: "Okay, you are all here because of what has become a not-so-unique-anymore set of circumstances. Now, some of you, through no fault of your own, stumbled into something we never encountered before…"

(As the officer walks along, a line of personnel, backs to the POV, come into view from the left hand side; they are wearing uniforms, or parts of uniforms, because it becomes apparent that not all of them fit a normal HUMAN uniform anymore. One has an unusually broad back, canine ears, fur spilling over the collar, and a tail twitches into view. The next in line is shorter and wider, and sprouting a pair of horns under a precariously-balanced cap, then there's an ENORMOUS backside and arms that look thick as tree trunks, and then somebody's uniformed back, only with nothing between its collar and the cap floating above it-)

Officer: (continuing)"-Some of you were deliberately attacked by means we are still learning to cope with, or cursed by powers we are still coming to grips with-"

(-next in line is what looks like a uniform sprouting bushels of tentacles where the head and arms should be. Then a gap as the officer is clearly looking DOWN at something. Then there's what looks like the back of a giant chicken. The next in line is taller, but this is because the torso is mounted atop a set of horse hindquarters, the full tail wicking nervously-)

Officer: (going on down the line)"-and some of you, in spite of our warnings, just plain fucked up-"

(-the next in line resembles a giant beetle or cockroach, another distinctly feline lines, yet another resembles a floating collection of rags, the last resembles a pile of rocks)

Officer: (stopping, then starting on back down the line)"-Needless to say, your lives have undergone a RADICAL change. You are fortunate, however, that the military is not without precedent in cases like yours, so we actually do have contingency policies for dealing with your new conditions, accommodating you in the service, and better preparing you for civilian life if and when you decide to opt out. So at this point I'll turn this over to one of the experts in this, who helped write the book and policy on dealing with problems like yours."

(Gold scale slides into view)

Owens(of course): " Thank you, Sergeant Simmons. Now, for the rest of you, let me start out by saying that, despite what you may think, your lives are NOT effectively over. In fact, they're just kickstarting-"

"Now, leading our seminar on Family Values in the Age of the Gates, allow me to introduce our guest speaker on the New Family, Senator William Octavius Taylor-"

"And now, before ComiKet festivities begin, some opening words from our Honorary Grand Marshal for Life, and Gracious Host of our present convention venue, Lord-Patriarch-Major Youji Itami-"

* * *

 **How I Met Your Mother**

"Dad? How did you and mom meet?"

"Well, she had a really good left hook, and then she kicked me in the ribs-"

"I didn't kick you in the ribs, dear, I punched you in the gut."

* * *

 **Magnetic Personality**

While able to avoid it at the airport while picking up Taylor's mother, Panache had no choice but to pass the metal detector after being invited to meet with the US Ambassador to Japan. With a DSS Agent standing nearby, a security technician asked Panache to place any items which might set off his scanners on the table. As she began to comply, another tech recorded the items for the record:

*clink*

'Longsword"

*clank*

"Dagger"

THUD

"Morningstar"

"It's a mace of office!" Panache objected

"Right."

*Clang*

"Dagger"

*Ching*

"Dirk"

"Ting"

"Backup dagger"

*Tingtangslatterchang*

"Chainmail undershirt."

Finally, with the Ambassador waiting, the senior agent simply rolled his eyes in defeat "Let's just stop before we get to the thigh dagger, the bosom throat-slicer, the scratch needle, and the razor wire garrote garters..."


	46. Chapter 32: Tokyo PD Blues

It has been a little while since I last updated. That is because I had a little bit of a block on how to _start_ the next chapter. In working around that block, I created an entire extra chapter! Note that I do not own GATE, 'You're Under Arrest', or ANY of the other anime referenced in this chapter. See if you can find them all!

 **A/N** : **This chapter has undergone significant changes since first release:**

 **The Janus Campaign**

 **Chapter 32: Tokyo PD Blues**

 **Camp Augustus**

It had been a good few days, Taylor reflected. In spite of his mother bringing out the photo albums. He had to admit that his baby pictures, at least, were beyond adorable. Of course, half an album's worth of new pictures was taken. Ruth reluctantly fighting the impulse to keep her eyes closed as she normally did. She made a note to get the photos copied and get the albums themselves duplicated on disc, both so she could keep a copy secured in a fireproof box if needed and send copies to her older children. It was their heritage as well. Also, she said that expected her daughter would inevitably share the pictures with her father. Ruth could only imagine the reaction on his face at them. As someone once said: 'Living well is the best revenge!'.

But that was incidental as she Antonius and Marcus called her 'Aunt Ruth' and as she hugged her new grandson. Even if Galador was technically older than she was, it was as if it had always been intended to be. As she would be staying in Yokosuka as Lady Octavia's guest, Taylor would arrange for her apartment to be packed and shipped and her lease resolved.

With his impending return to Janus in mind, Taylor went to Colonel Mihara with a request.

"Since we'll be leaving the day after tomorrow, I'd like permission to take my fiancees into Tokyo tomorrow for the day. It may be the last opportunity we get for some time."

"Are you sure that's a good idea? You may have pulled off bringing Panache and Aurelia to the airport in Haneda but audacity won't work every time. There are a lot of angry people in this country."

"I know that, ma'am. Everybody has a reason. Hell! It's been over seventy years and there are some Americans who still hate Japan and some Japanese who hate America. I won't say they should start going to love-ins. Some wounds are just too deep. But for the rest of us… We can't stay there. We admit what happened and hopefully we move on. And now Germany and Japan are two of our best allies." Taylor shrugged. "That didn't happen without effort. Somebody has to take the first steps."

"Alright, Lieutenant. Let me make some calls. Let's see if we can minimize some of the risks in those first steps."

 **Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department**

Commissioner Takao Arizuka hung up his phone suppressing a sigh. It wasn't that Colonel Mihara's request was anything excessive. In point of fact, it was rather a small request: That the Tokyo Police Department spare a few trustworthy officers for a guide and escort detail. While such a matter would normally be handled by the Public Security Intelligence Agency, Colonel Mihara was concerned that in the wake of events involving visitors from the other side of the Gate, there was a leak somewhere in the system and that she felt more secure requesting help from the uniformed police instead.

Of course, Arizuka could not even begin to entertain Mihara's request without considering politics. As much as he preferred to be a simple cop, politics were unavoidable at his level and that damned Gate had dropped a ton of it onto his desk.

For if the JSDF were the 'Heroes of Ginza' and the idols of the public's imagination, it had been his officers dying in the streets and his people who had blocked the bridges and kept the invaders from crossing the Sumida. Unrecognized for their service but having served well.

And then there had been the Emoto case…

In a city on edge over the Ginza invasion, the assault on Bokutou station, the attempted theft of the 'B Number One' Disc and the attempted disruption of Tokyo by foreign agents had left his department under scrutiny by Councilor Takashi Hino's committee. Well, if politicians were going to go trying to make political gains at the expense of his department, then it only made sense to have a few politicians on his side. And doing a little favor for the Americans was a small price to pay. Besides, it would put a twist into that arrogant Councilor's tail. That, in itself, would be worthwhile. It would be worth a few extra man-hours. The only question remained who he would assign this little task. And for that, he really only had one choice. He buzzed his secretary. "Get me Captain Kachou at Bokutou station."

 **Bokutou Station**

"I don't quite understand, sir. Why us?" Officer Miyuki Kobayakawa asked after the Captain had outlined details of the assignment."

"Commissioner Arizuka said that help from the Metropolitan Police was requested because there might be a security leak over at the office of Public Security Intelligence. And the Commissioner told me that when it came to handling unusual situations, he naturally thought of us." Kachou replied wryly. "He also said that he trusts that you will behave with full professionalism and courtesy. As do I," Kachou noted.

"So now we get to go play babysitter," Officer Natsumi Tsujimoto remarked. While she might have some reservations about this assignment, it would depend on how _they_ behaved. Either way, she would do her job But if these people wanted to prove they could be trusted, the burden was on them and they were already in the hole on that one for obvious reasons. On the other hand, knowing that and still wanting to come took some brass, Natsumi figured, so that counted for something in her book.

"Hopefully, that's all that comes of it," their Captain replied. "But I'm sure you remember the young ladies who testified in front of the Diet the other month?" There wasn't much chance of anyone forgetting that anytime soon, he was quite certain.

"I thought Representative Kohara was going to have a stroke!" Tsujimoto recalled with some amusement.

"Yes," Kachou replied drily. "Well, afterward, they and a few other visitors were the targets of an attack by unknown agents. They hit a decoy bus and got the worst of it but it stands there is still the possibility of trouble. Don't take anything for granted."

"Yessir," Kobayakawa replied. "Do you think there could be a connection with the men who tried to steal the Bee Number One mod?" It didn't seem likely, given that the Incident in question had taken place only a scant couple of weeks after the appearance of the Gate but perhaps the chaos surrounding the Gate made for a convenient opportunity.

"It's possible, I suppose." Detective Emoto's program for an economic terror attack would have brought Japan to its knees had the disc escaped them. Emoto's plan for attacking Bokutou station and his hacking of regional traffic control systems had been bad enough. "Disrupting Tokyo or threatening the economic destabilization of Japan might be tempting options for a country that wanted access to the Gate. But we'll save that speculation for some other time. For now, let's just concentrate on the task at hand." He looked over his people and then turned to Inspector Kinoshita, who at a nod, then began to outline the assignments.

"This will be a plainclothes operation. Kobayakawa and Tsujimoto, you two will be the guides. Futaba and Nikaidou, you two will stick close by…

 **Camp Augustus**

The following morning, Taylor discussed his plan to spend the day in Tokyo.

"Do you want to come, mom?" He asked.

Ruth shook her head. "No thanks. You know how I feel about being in a big city. I think I'll stay here with my grandson." She looked over at Galador. "Unless he wants to go too. In that case, I guess I'll tag along. What do you think? Should we spend the day shopping or should we see what we can get into around here? I guess that would be you keeping me out of trouble."

Her grandson giggled a bit at that and gave her a big hug.

Nayu's mother, on the other hand, was quite eager to see Tokyo. "It's an adventure," Indras told her daughter. "Your father would have been thrilled to see a city like this."

"I've taken the opportunity to arrange for you to have guides and an escort, Lieutenant," Colonel Mihara said. "They should be here shortly."

Indeed, it was only a few minutes later that a Toyota HiAce was waved through the main gate ahead of a Suzuki Wagon R and a pair of motorcycles. Shortly after that, a tall, lean woman dressed in the uniform of the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Force approached Colonel Mihara.

"Inspector Kaoruko Kinoshita, here with guides and escorts from Bokutou Station, compliments of Commissioner Arizuka."

"Thank you, Inspector, and please extend my thanks to Commissioner Arizuka when you see him," Mihara replied.

"Of course."

"I realize this request is a little unusual and we appreciate your being here," Mihara said, looking around at the assembled officers. "As you all may be aware, any visitors from across the Gate are potentially at risk for any number of reasons." She turned to Taylor. "Lieutenant Taylor, here, is one of our specialists in contact situations." She smirked. "In fact, he just might be too good at it. Allow me to introduce Lady Panache Fure Kalgi, Aurelia Co Germanicus, Aenaire La Monnier, and Nayu Ro Nin. These ladies are Lieutenant Taylor's fiancees."

"Um… It's complicated," Taylor sighed, feeling all eyes on him.

"Hardly, My Lord," Panache smiled. "We proposed. You merely accepted our terms."

"And joining them will be Miss Indras Ro Nin, Miss Nayu's mother," Mihara added. "They're looking forward to experiencing Tokyo for themselves."

The officers assembled stared at them dumbstruck as they regarded the human woman, the Bunny girl, and the three elves. Officer Yoriko Nikaidou began to smirk as there were few things she liked more than whispers of gossip and romances. At the same time, she did feel just a touch of envy as well.

Tsujimoto considered it for a moment and then looked slyly at her partner and then over at officer Nakajima. The two had been pursuing love's bloom at a snail's pace for ages it seemed. "Well, good to see somebody knows not to let a good thing get away from him." This caused both Kobayakawa and Nakajima to blush and Nakajima to squirm just a little, while most of the other officers smirked. Inspector Kinoshita merely held the tiniest of smiles.

"Yes, well, in any case," Kinoshita said, looking at the group. "While plenty of foreign tourists come to Tokyo, this group will still stand out. I'm going to modify our original plan. Futaba, you and Nikaidou will join Tsujimoto and Kobayakawa in direct escort rather than trailing. Officers Nakajima and Neganebashi will tail on motorbike. I'll alert officers Kaneko and Hayashi of the modification in the plan." She turned to address Taylor and the others directly.

"For your own safety, please follow any instructions these officers give you. I cannot stress this enough."

"Of course, Inspector Kinoshita," Taylor replied.

"It will be as you say," Panache agreed. Aurelia very reluctantly nodding her compliance.

"Good," In that case, have a pleasant trip in Tokyo and I will be here when you return.."

"So, where first?" Kobayakawa asked as they loaded into the HiAce.

"We should probably find a place where we can get some clothes more appropriate to our surroundings," Panache suggested. While nothing could be done to hide Bunny or Elven ears, it was also quite clear that what was considered 'normal' attire in Japan was vastly different from fashion in Falmart. They were already likely to attract an uncomfortable amount of attention. Some of it would be benign curiosity and some would be suspicion, though no one expected anything openly hostile. Anything that reduced the conspicuousness of the group was probably a good idea.

"That makes sense," Miyuki agreed. "I know a good place." She thumbed her radio. "Futaba, we'll head for Bingo, Shinagawa first."

 _"Roger that. We'll be right behind you."_

After the women were fitted in more casual outfits, they moved on to book shopping. This was mainly at Taylor's suggestion as he wanted to bring back books on agriculture, engineering, and mechanics, as well as any other inventions that he thought could be of use, especially to the Lands of his House. Of course, there were some limits. As Chief Richardson had said, he was neither crazy or a traitor, so no weapons technology. Certainly no gunpowder. Also, no steam power. The ancients understood the basic principles of steam and Taylor was in no great rush to see smokestacks billowing black smoke across Falmart. Only things that local craftsmen could build themselves. At Sergeant Kobayakawa's suggestion, they headed for Kinokuniya Books in South Shinjuku. It had a very large English language section. Of course, other books on everything from animal husbandry to fashion quickly piled up as well. Naturally, it wasn't all that odd that the accompanying officers indulged in sharing their own reading tastes and Panache was intrigued by Kobayakawa's interest in street racing and custom engines but then again, they and Sergeant Tsujimoto all shared a passion for speed. That at least gave them a common interest to discuss.

There was just a little problem as Aenaire looked through the bridal fashions. Heads popped up as a loud cry pierced the air and Taylor turned the corner to see Aenaire standing puzzled while officer Futaba gently patted Nikaidou on the shoulder as the diminutive policewoman sobbed while clutching a copy of 'Brides' magazine.

"Um…. Is something wrong?"

 ** _"Christmas cake!"_** Yoriko bawled. "I'm nothing but leftover Christmas cake!"

Aenaire blinked and looked to Futaba. "William." She gestured to Taylor. "Has explained 'Christmas' to me. But I don't understand why she would call herself 'Christmas Cake'?"

Futaba explained softly as she consoled her partner. "Christmas Cake… A Christmas cake that isn't sold and eaten by the end of Christmas is too old and should be thrown out."

Aenaire looked stunned. "You mean she thinks that she's..."

"An old maid!"Nikaidou cried.

No wonder why the girl was so upset! "Oh! You are such a young girl to worry about that. You know… I did marry young."

Yoriko looked up at her. "What happened?"

"I was only in my two-hundred and thirties. I was naive and met a very handsome man. He was charming! Made me feel like I was living in a dream! So we married and I bore him a son… But he didn't want the responsibility of being a father so he simply went on a trip one day and decided not to come back. Don't misunderstand me. I have a handsome and loving son. But he's only in his seventies and he deserves a good father. William is mature enough to be that and I am mature enough to know THAT is the man I want to marry."

"You don't understand!" Yoriko replied. "I don't want to end up alone."

"For a young lady like you? I'm sure that won't happen." Indras spoke up.

"Are you sure?"

"Trust me!"

Nikaidou paused for a moment and allowed a fleeting fantasy to enter her mind, filling her with a sense of possibility. Perhaps it was the confidence that Indras seemed to exude but whatever it was, Yoriko seemed noticeably more at ease.

Without further incident, the rest of the book shopping wrapped up. Actually carting the large numbers of books into the van proved no problem as Aurelia and Tsujimoto had a friendly competition of strength which Aurelia did not quite concede but admitted that 'For a human', Natsumi was impressively strong and it might be interesting to see her wrestle an ogre, adding she would be inclined to wager on Tsujimoto in such a contest.

Stopping for lunch, even the trailing officers were invited. Having traded in some gold the previous day, Taylor volunteered to take up the tab, which was completely fine for Tsujimoto as they pulled up to the Hayashiya Steak House. It seemed more than fair, Taylor considered.

With the opportunity at hand, Panache was curious to ask the officers about themselves, their work and experiences.

"Well," Kobayakawa began. "I'm originally from Okayama. My mother was a nurse and my father was a Shinto priest and a widower. They dated for years and then, mother says his daughter, Achika became very ill. After that, my father seemed to draw back into himself and told my mother that he couldn't take a chance of fathering another child who would face the type of sickness that my sister suffered from. He would not risk my mother's safety or that of a child. He left, not knowing my mother was pregnant. I've never met him."

"What about you?" Tsujimoto asked.

"My father," Panache replied. "Is a Baron. He's stubborn and giving something up for someone else's sake?… Well, I nearly disowned him after he pulled strings to get my little brother into the army." Panache faced Kobayakawa and Tsujimoto squarely. "I've trained to be a knight for years. I pray my sword is always in the service of right but right or wrong, I am trained. My brother never had a desire to go to war, although he would do anything to please our father. I'm only fortunate that I didn't lose him. I only hope something good comes from the terrible mistake my people made."

Tsujimoto frowned. It was true that Panache seemed like a decent person but the day that the Gate opened was one that would always be burned into all of their memories. And wasn't she the enemy? As polite as she was, she had just admitted to belonging to the people who had brutally attacked their homeland and killed hundreds of helpless people and now Natsumi and her colleagues were supposed to play 'tour guide'.

" _Mistake?_ " Tsujimoto asked. "Invading our homes and killing defenseless people was a mistake?"

Panache stared down at the table, shame faced. Of those present, while Aurelia too was a citizen of the Empire, she did not represent the Empire the way Panache did. And Tsujimoto was right to be angry.

"Yes. A horrible mistake made because our people thought we could do as we wished. And because of our arrogance, hundreds of your people and hundreds of thousands of mine died. Not long ago, I was prepared to hate the people of your world for that. For the blood of the brother I thought I had lost and yes. I wanted blood for blood! And then," she looked to Taylor. "Someone showed me compassion I did not think I truly deserved. Wasn't I the enemy? But yes, Sergeant a mistake. Because if the men who ordered my brother and a hundred thousand other young men to march into your country are criminals in your eyes, that is fair. But the men who believed when our leaders told them to march are not criminals. At least not for that.

"My Princess wants peace. She risks being marked as a traitor by the Senate because she has seen that fighting you will destroy us. I believe in her goals. You may think I am trying to excuse my people. Perhaps I am. But what we did, it was the way things were. We accepted it without question. I'm not saying my people haven't earned their punishment. But please don't hate all of us for the decisions of a few."

Tsujimoto frowned. "It's not that simple. We were there! We saw our fellow officers dead in the streets, dying to try and protect scared people who never threatened anybody!"

Panache had to know. She had to see it through their eyes. "I wasn't there. I _need_ to know what it was like."

"You really want to know?" Kobayakawa asked.

"I need to know. Sergeant. Please? I need to know."

Tsujimoto saw the sincerity in Panache's request. "Alright..."

 **Flashback: Tokyo, August 11, 2017, Day of the Invasion of Ginza**

It had been a typical morning for Tsujimoto. Natsumi was still missing Lieutenant Tokairin, who had gone off on a trip to the Himalayas to gain further training in mountain rescue climbing but at least soon both she and Miyuki would be back at good old Bokutou Station. Having completed the Ranger course, Natsumi was back at Metropolitan Police Headquarters, testing out new equipment. Some of it was half as inventive as the things Miyuki created even. The first confused reports started coming into Headquarters shortly after mid-morning. Reports from confused and terrified street officers about 'monsters' and 'invaders wielding swords' and frantic cell phone calls from civilians. Calls for ambulances and sighting reports from patrolling helicopters. Initially labeled a 'riot', it was soon clear that the situation was far worse. Especially as two police helicopters were lost.

In Bokutou, Captain Kachou and other station commanders soon received instructions to divert all civilian traffic away from the bridges across the Sumida and to block those bridges from the Invaders, especially the southernmost bridges as these were the ones most immediately in the invaders' path. Initially, Higher authority was willing to concede the bridges between Chuo City and Harumi as HQ was effectively cut off and it was deemed that the invaders would storm the bridges before anyone could arrive. To Captain Kachou and the other station Captains east of the Sumida, this was not an acceptable answer. Of course, if Kachou had his two best officers back, he would have no doubt that they would reach the bridges in time but they would not be back for a couple more weeks. But they had to succeed anyway. Ceding Harumi was not acceptable. So Kachou sent Nakajima and his other motorcycle officers ahead to start commandeering tractor-trailer trucks and used those to barricade the Kachidoki and other bridges. It would only be later that Kachou and the other station Captains would be reminded that the Kachidoki, at least, was still functional as a drawbridge. But for now, his officers succeeded in blocking the bridges. It was horrible and heartbreaking to see and hear civilians trapped on the wrong side screaming in terror. The officers delayed as long as they could before completely blocking the bridges but as the invaders got closer, there was no alternative. Fortunately, the situation at the southern end of the Sumida was aided by the disinclination of the Commander of the Sixth Legion to push beyond the banks of the river and settling for securing the flank of the invasion.

Inside Tokyo itself, it was much worse. Hastily assembled riot police gathered and advanced with riot shields and teargas. While teargas was a new wrinkle, the close, body to body advance of the riot police was the bread and butter of the Saderan Imperial Army. Worse, auxiliaries utilized wind magic to break up the teargas clouds. In any case, the teargas only tended to irritate and anger Imperial troops.

As defense units were called in, a desperate siege revolved around Police Headquarters. Commissioner Arizuka personally assembled SWAT teams and snipers and organized them in the defense of Headquarters. During this time word was received that hostiles were closing on the Eitai Bridge with no opposition.

 _"I know of exactly TWO officers who might be able to get there in time and secure us that bridge,"_ Inspector Kinoshita commented on hearing the news. _"I don't care what it takes! Get me officers Tsujimoto and Kobayakawa NOW!"_

Scant minutes later, Kobayakawa and Tsujimoto were in the main parking garage, donning armor vests.

 _"Get to Eitai Bridge and block it any way you can!"_ Kinoshita told them. _"Once you secure the bridge, keep your heads down and try to stay safe. Got it?"_

 _"Yes, ma'am,"_ Kobayakawa answered, then turned to Natsumi. _"Ready to go, partner?"_

 _"You bet! Miyuki!"_

 _"Good! Let's strap in!"_

Kinoshita watched as the entrance to the street beyond was opened just long enough for Miyuki's car to storm out, scattering the nearest centuria in surprise, although at least two troopers failed to get out of the way in time.

 _"Stand by on Nitro!"_ Miyuki said as they tore through the street. Nearing the bridge, they found a single unmarked police car, tires punctured with arrows. Its surviving occupant, a plainclothes junior detective, his partner killed by an arrow. The troops trying to get passed him were caught off guard as Miyuki told Natsumi to take the wheel while Kobayakawa opened up a murderous reign of fire on the Saderans who fled as the patrol car blew past.

Pulling to a stop next to the unmarked car, Tsujimoto got out to check on the plainclothesman.

 _"Sergeants Tsujimoto and Kobayakawa. Are you alright?"_

 _"I'm alright,"_ He nodded, catching his breath. _"Detective Togusa. Nice to meet you."_ He jerked a thumb over in the direction of a fuel truck abandoned nearby. _"My partner and I were going to use that tanker truck to block the bridge. He got caught trying to make a run for it."_

 _"Come on! Get in!"_ The detective dove into the back seat as Miyuki swung the patrol car around, pulling up behind the tanker on the east side. Togusa and Kobayakawa firing on a freshly gathering group of invaders as Tsujimoto slipped into the cab.

 _"Gonna have to hotwire it. It'll just take a minute"_

 _"Make it quick! Looks like they're serious, this time,"_ Miyuki answered.

 _"Got it!"_ Natsumi exclaimed as the diesel engine growled to life. _"Get clear, while I block the bridge."_ Tsujimoto turned the wheel about and cut the road, before jumping out on the safe side and running to where her partner and Togusa were waiting.

 _"That will only slow them down unless we can ignite the truck,"_ Togusa observed. _"Either of you ever make a molotov cocktail?"_ He asked, spying the gas can in the back.

 _"Now you're talking our language detective!"_ Kobayakawa answered. _"I can puncture the tank. Of course, we don't want to be too close when it lights."_

 _"Leave that to me, Miyuki,"_ Natsumi assured. Once Togusa finished crafting the incendiary device, Natsumi waited while Miyuki took careful aim and punctured the tanker, causing gasoline to pour out. Breaking Togusa's radio open to provide a spark, Natsumi lit the wick, making sure it got a good start before giving their makeshift bomb a powerful toss, igniting the truck. With the way blocked by fire, the trio waited as around them, the world went insane.

* * *

"We waited on that bridge for three hours before relief came," Tsujimoto recalled.

"In the meantime, we lost scores of officers and hundreds of innocent civilians in the streets," Kobayakawa added. "And they never had a chance to understand why."

Panache looked at them, her eyes lowered. "Because of greed and arrogant pride. Officers… I have worked for years to protect the helpless, not attack them. Please… I ask you to accept my sincerest regrets and apologies and those of my Liege Lady, Princess Pina, and the Rose Order."

"Nations make war," Kobayakawa said. " _People_ make peace.

Tsujimoto nodded and glanced around the table and made a circle gesture with her fork to include everyone sitting there. " _We_ forgive _you_ ," she said. "And on your word, I think those of us at this table would be inclined to give your Princess and the rest of your Order the benefit of the doubt. But I don't think everyone is going to be that forgiving and the next person from your side I meet? Beyond what I've said? I'm not exactly going to trust them on sight."

"That's more than fair, Officer Tsujimoto," Panache replied. "To be honest, I would sooner trust you and your companions than some Imperials I've known.

"One thing is it's harder to make war on a friend than a stranger!" Nikaidou agreed.

"Thank you," Panache replied with true heartfelt thanks.

"So…" Futaba asked after taking a sip of tea. "Where else did we plan to go after this?"

"Well, Panache admitted. "We were interested in…"

" _'Fashion'_ is the term?" Nayu suggested.

"Yes! And perhaps then of a more _personal_ sort?" Panache agreed.

"I know just the place!" Nikaidou declared. "It's called the Silky Doll! Nene Romanova over at Central control told me about it. She knows the owner, Miss Sylvia, or at least she says she does. It's supposed to be a real classy place!" To Indras' amusement and satisfaction, Yoriko cast a sly look towards the head of the table. "I've actually been meaning to do some shopping there myself!" She declared.

Tsujimoto grinned. "Hey, Nakajima…"

"Sorry!" Nakajima hurriedly replied. "Better get back to shadowing. Right?" He asked his nodding comrade.

"Nonsense!" Hayase replied. "A close escort is best in these situations. You know that Inspector Kinoshita always expects us to use good judgment over a plan that doesn't fit the situation."

"She's right," Tsujimoto agreed. "Don't you think so, Miyuki?"

"Oh, definitely!" Miyuki agreed, having not quite forgiven the boys of Bokutou for their handling of the 'Flasher Mugger' case the previous month.

"What do you think, Lieutenant?" Nakajima asked Taylor.

"Every moment spent with a lovely lady is a privilege. Today I am very privileged."

Nakajima sighed. The afternoon was going to be a long one.

In the meantime, Panache pulled her groom-to-be aside and whispered a request into his ear. He nodded and placed a call to take care of it.

By the time the group returned to Camp Augustus, a very substantial amount of commerce had been concluded. With the escort mission completed, the officers from Bokutou were now off duty.

"If any of you would care to stay for dinner, you would be welcomed guests,"

"I'm afraid I'll have to decline," Inspector Kinoshita answered. Although lunch had been excellent and the conversation, pleasant, she was still _Inspector_ Kinoshita. She could not allow herself the luxury of 'unwinding' around officers she was responsible for.

"Of course, Inspector. Perhaps we will have the pleasure of your company another day," Lady Octavia told her.

"Perhaps."

Most of the others did stay, however. Panache enjoyed sharing tales of battling goblins and developing a sense of kindredness with the women of Bokutou as they shared stories about their most interesting or exciting police cases. Honor and respect are qualities that know no one single flag.

The next day, it was time for Taylor's party to return to Janus. There were a great number of things to be done. As they passed through the checkpoint to enter the Gate, a florists van delivered six-hundred roses, two-hundred Red, two-hundred Yellow, and two-hundred White roses, placed in memory of the fallen of Ginza.


	47. Chapter 33: A Breeze and then Maelstrom

And Another Chapter! Time to go back to the Empire!

 **The Janus Campaign**

 **Chapter 33: A Breeze and then Maelstrom**

 **Fort Defiance, Alnus Hill**

The continuing growth and expansion in Alnus Town were accompanied by the recruitment of locals of many races into the units serving in the Janus Theater. Additionally, others were hired as 'contractors'. Orcs were now working in the supply depots. Translators from numerous races were serving with many units in theater. Experts in the local plant and wildlife had been sought out. Most significantly, the Pacific Allies had negotiated their first formal Alliance with a native population.

Surprisingly, this treaty was not with the Kingdom of the Elbe, whose King, Duran had finally come forward to Allied Command to discuss his kingdom's withdrawal from the war, contingent on his return and restoration to his throne. Nor was it with the Uial tribe formerly of Schwarz Woods, although they had been moved to Alnus, pending a further discussion on their relocation.

Instead, it had been with a colony of Faeries living in the forest outside Alnus. The colony, numbering a few thousand strong, had been living in the local woods for ages. Initially, they had considered the presence of Titian's army as an opportunity as they raided Titian's camp in the middle of the night for food, fabric, or anything else useful that they might find. This turned into deep concern when Titian's troops began harvesting part of the forest for lumber to help shore up the defenses at Alnus. The loss of cover and foraging ground was a very serious threat, in their view. So concerned were they, that the colony actually contemplated launching a full armed assault on Titian's troops, knowing that the attempt would most likely lead to the colony's destruction but having no real alternative.

It was with surprise and a mixture of relief and concern that the Faeries of the Alnus Colony witnessed the complete destruction of Titian's army by an army from beyond the Gate. If confronting Titian's 35,000 man army was considered a desperate and virtually suicidal gambit, then being forced to face the army that had so handily destroyed those same Imperial Legions AND those of Senator Godasen was simply unthinkable. Cautiously, scouts and foragers were dispatched to collect the goods of the newcomers in an attempt to judge both the danger and the possible opportunities presented by the new arrivals.

An accidental encounter brought Fae foragers and scouts, Nighean Gaoithe and Dannsaiche Adhair face to face with Marines of Fox Company of the Second Battalion, 5th Marines After talks and a formal apology of cinnamon rolls to Nighean and Dannsaiche for the flypaper, the duo and several of their companions had been formally mustered into Fox Company, with the association doing nothing to smooth the rough edges off either group and certainly not off Nighean. or Dannsaiche. Needless to say, they and the Marines made a good fit.

The nine Fae assigned to Fox Company initially carried their traditional weapons, mainly swords or arrows dipped either in toxin from crimson leapers which tended to cause sharp pain and paralysis when driven into a wound, or, rarely, sap from a plant called Ibora's Heart, which had a highly sedative effect. More recently, a lightweight laser pointer and miniature goggles had been added to their equipment along with a tiny wireless headset. The Fae had already proven themselves as recon scouts. Of course, they also needed a high caloric intake. Whereas their human counterparts might need up to three thousand calories a day, Fae functioned best on four hundred calories. They could survive on much lower amounts but at minimal amounts, Fae could end up sleeping for twenty hours a day. For this reason, one Marine, designated as 'canteen', carried extra rations to help maintain their Fae teammates, who normally deployed in groups of three while on patrol. Needless to say, 'canteen' was usually a Fae's favorite Marine in the field. In particular, Nighean, Dannsaiche, and their partner, Strìnan Sgàthan were particularly fond of Corporal Gataki as the Long Beach native quickly learned their specific individual tastes and idiosyncrasies.

"George," The eight-inch tall Nighean said with a grin. "You're a right good and blessed Èireannach! Ye know right what we're needing, love."

"You know I'm Greek, right?" He laughed.

"Ye'll always be Èireannach to us," Strinan told him.

"In fact, ye give us half a chance, ye'll be Èireannach for life!" Dannsaiche said giving her hips a suggestive wiggle.

"How would that even work?" Private Buckman asked.

"We'd have ta get creative!" Nighean replied. "But that's fine. We like a challenge!"

"Well, before we all get carried away," Sergeant Duncan cut in. "Let's try and watch the shenanigans, I just talked to the L-T. In three days, there's gonna be a shitload of reporters and UN Observers coming in to poke their noses into anything they can. Therefore… First Platoon has been volunteered to head to Italica to reinforce a platoon from Echo Company in assisting in the defense of the city and running patrols in the area."

"Why us Sarge?" Buckman asked.

"Because the powers that be are of the opinion that letting this bunch of screwballs anywhere near the media is not exactly in anyone's best interest."

"Well, at least it gets us away from Major Powers," Gataki commented. The battalion XO was high on everyone's list of least favorite people.

"Major Pain in the arse!" Dannsaiche corrected.

"He's naught but a misbegot motherless bastard," Nighean replied.

 _And they say we're not teaching them good social manners,_ Master Sergeant Duncan shook his head. He had heard the scuttlebutt about Italica and he had the feeling that their stay would be as interesting as a Chinese Curse.

 ** **Akusho District, Sadera**  
**

"Man! I was hoping for a paradise full of beast girls. This place is a dump!" Sergeant Kurata exclaimed as Third Recon and their guides, led by Lieutenant Thomas Theisman, drove through the narrow streets of 'Trouble Town'. A weary and wary populace watched them, standing amid the dirty squalor of Akusho's slums.

Theisman threw a look at Kurata. "If they had known a bigshot was coming for a visit, Sergeant, I'm sure they'd have snapped to and made sure their homes reflected the shining and exotic splendor you were expecting."

Kurata shrank at Theisman's rebuke. He hadn't really meant anything but still…

"Anyway, now that you're with Persia and Katrine, I thought you were off the market," Shino put in.

"Well," Kurata replied in a hushed voice. "It's just… Well, aren't you curious? I mean Even here, these girls are like nothing on Earth! Um… You won't say anything about this, will you? Persia and Katrine are kind of possessive. Besides, what about our squad leader?" He asked, glancing over to where Yao had practically welded herself to Itami's side ever since their return from Mount Tybe. "Or Lieutenant Taylor? They've got at least four apiece! That's not fair!"

"Their cases are different," Shino replied. "As for not telling Persia and Katrine about your wandering eye? We'll see. I just might," Shino replied as the small convoy proceeded to a large warehouse which sat next to the main Allied safehouse.

"We're particularly glad to have you here, Sergeant Kurokawa. Medical help is the most important thing we have to offer down here," Theisman explained. "Major Nyutabaru will fill you in further inside."

It was shortly thereafter that Kurokawa had changed into civvies and began to see patients, Miss Mizari, first among them. It seemed Kurokawa was able to form an easy rapport with Mizari and the other girls working the Venus and the Bacchante. Kurokawa's manner and lack of judgementalism and condescension helped in this regard, although she did find it interesting as Mizari expressed disappointment that Allied soldiers did not seem interested in her services and curiosity in just what would attract them.

Kurokawa could understand Mizari's position. In comparison to most of her customers, Allied soldiers were wealthy and much more sophisticated. On the other hand, what Mizari could not know was that Captain Harrington had recommended using Mizari and the other girls at the Venus as a test case to see if they could be counted upon to follow a set of guidelines that would minimize the risks of disease transmission. If so, then Harrington recommended sending girls from the Venus and the Bacchante to Alnus to set up a licensed and carefully administered legal brothel. As much as it was the popular public solution to declare a 'no tolerance' policy in regards to soldiers seeking out such pleasures, hard pragmatism suggested this was simply not realistic, especially in a particularly exotic land where such things were seen as the cultural norm. It was an imperfect solution in an imperfect universe and as Kurokawa knew, it was the only way for Mizari and her girls to make a living in a hard world and this was a better alternative than other choices to be had.

With Kurokawa and half of Third Recon, led by Sergeant Major Kuwahara on detached duty in Akusho, the rest of the squad were invited guests at Princess Pina's Palace before their expected trip back to Alnus in the morning. As the Third Recon troopers gratefully accepted Pina's hospitality they looked forward to a peaceful night's rest. They would be sorely disappointed, for late that evening, Mizari came to see Kurokawa, bringing with her every single one of her girls from the Venus if Kurokawa was not seriously mistaken, all of whom seemed nervous and or agitated about something if Kurokawa was any judge. In particular, Mizari brought with her a nervous young Siren named Tuwal, who explained that the village she grew up in was near an active volcano and whenever the volcano stirred, it was accompanied by a shaking of the earth. But that she and others in her village would get a certain 'feeling' before the ground began to shake and that she had been having the same feeling since the early morning and could not stop shaking.

Nyutabaru, whom Kurokawa had called when Mizari arrived, noted that many of the other girls of different species were likewise exhibiting cues of agitation and it concerned him greatly as he looked at Harrington and Theisman.

"When I was in Kobe, I noticed one day that the birds and other animals were behaving in a very nervous and agitated fashion. I didn't know what it meant… Until Kobe was hit by a magnitude 8.2 Earthquake later that day."

"Are you saying that you think an earthquake is in the offering, Major?" Harrington asked.

"Yes, Captain " He turned to the radio operator. "Send an emergency Flash message to Alnus and all commands that a major earthquake may be imminent!"

"Yes, sir!" The operator answered as Nyutabaru continued, addressing everyone in the room. "Spread the word for everyone to extinguish any fires and get outside into a clearing if possible. If you can't get outside, then find an interior room and take cover under a sturdy table or such. Better alert the Akusho bosses." He turned to Harrington and Theisman. "Once the operator gets a message confirmation from Alnus, we'll secure the generator and take cover."

 **Sadera, Palace of Zorzal El Caesar  
**

It had been another uneasy day for Noriko, Tyuuke, and the other slaves in Zorzal's palace. Apparently, his royal heinousness was getting particularly put out with the kitchen staff. Normally that would be a problem that would only fall on their heads as Tyuule had learned how to direct the Prince's bad moods away from the house slaves. Unfortunately, his annoyances this day were simply too many. While he agreed that the kitchen staff should be punished and perhaps he should replace some of them, he was also angered that his older siblings. The First and Second Imperial Princesses had seen to make sport of him publicly, in front of his younger sister, Pina.

Unfortunately, while Zorzal despised his older sisters, Tyuule, as a mere slave, dared not speak ill of Imperial blood. Further, while raping _her_ had been sufficient pleasure for him on previous occasions, today he was getting more impatient to see what results Tyuule had achieved in training Noriko for his pleasure. Tyuule was hard pressed to suppress her disgust and anger at the thought of Zorzal _touching_ her beautiful flower. But for her careful plans to destroy Zorzal and the world that could allow such a monster to exist, she was quite capable of killing him as she was made to stand quietly and watch as he took Noriko, knowing that if Noriko's reactions failed to please him, they both would be brutally punished. But Tyuule's Beautiful Flower endured. Tyuule's pride in Noriko's strength warring with her disgust at watching such an unworthy creature have her.

Finally, the ordeal ended and Tyuule was allowed to take Noriko back to the slave quarters where she began to clean Noriko and tend her injuries.

"You were very brave," Tyuule said. "I'm very proud of you."

"If I had failed, he would have hurt you. I couldn't let him hurt you because of me anymore," Noriko told her quietly.

Tyuule finished washing her and simply held her. Her Flower had grown stronger than Tyuule had hoped and she had suffered to protect _Tyuule_. Tyuule found herself cursing and praising the gods all at the same time for this as they lay down and Tyuule protectively held Noriko to her…

Only to be woken by rumbling somewhere in the distance but getting closer. She shook Noriko awake as the whole palace began to shake madly. Noriko's eyes went wide as she seemed to recognize this danger.

"Earthquake! Quick! Everyone! Get under the tables!" Noriko cried as the shaking continued and objects began crashing to the floor. After what seemed like an eternity, the shaking stopped. Slowly, everyone got to their feet.

"Is everyone alright?" Tyuule demanded as they each nodded. But Noriko stared up at a crack in the outer wall and the ceiling.

"We have to get out of here! There will be aftershocks!"

"Aftershocks?" Another slave asked confused.

"More shakes. Quakes don't happen singularly," Noriko said and looked at Tyuule. "This building is damaged! We don't want to be in here when the aftershocks start!"

"Are you sure?" Tyuule demanded. She knew what they had to do and that, in itself would have its own dangers.

"Yes! We have earthquakes in Japan very often! There _will_ be another shaking!"

"We have to tell Zorzal. If we try to leave without his permission, he will have us all punished and possibly killed." Tyuule looked at the other slaves.

"You and I will go to Zorzal," she said, turning back to Noriko. "Where is the safest place for everyone else to wait?"

"Move the tables next to the doorway and grab pillows. If the shaking starts again, put a pillow over your head and get under the table. Stay away from that bookcase and the outer wall. Put out the lanterns and candles."

"Do as she says," Tyuule told the rest and then nodded to Noriko. "Alright. Let's go.."

 **Akusho District, Sadera**

"Is everyone alright?" Sergeant Major Kuwahara asked as he finally got his breath, the terrified Naga finally releasing some of the pressure on his ribcage and settled for gently sobbing on his chest as the immediate terror passed. He softly smiled at her, noting that the girl appeared to be about the same age as his own daughter, as he gently rubbed her back. Although she was not crushing him in panic anymore, the Naga, named Uma, held on to him all the more anxiously with her arms on his shoulders.

Getting nods from the other allied soldiers, Kuwahara continued to comfort Uma with a gentle voice, calming her. Likewise, Kurokawa held Mizari, who for all her worldliness, was reduced to a frightened child desperately seeking the reassurance of a mother who seemed so impossibly calm and brave.

As Tom Theisman did a mental headcount, he found a pretty four armed girl named Satha, wrapped around his ankles with two arms while covering her head with the other two For Satha, the 'Green Man' was the only comfort in a world that threatened to crumble around her.

Kurata, for his part, was experiencing a 'perfect storm' of geek nirvana as at least three frightened beauties clung to him. Though he already had Persia and Katrine, the thrill of having yet another Catgirl and a pair of Vulpines all over him was overwhelming as they held on for dear life.

"Save us, Master!" One of the Foxgirls cried as they looked upon him with huge eyes that looked as if they beheld a mythic hero. They would gladly give themselves and everything they had to be saved from the end of everything.

"It's alright. I'm here. You're safe." Best of all was that Kuribayashi wasn't here to spoil his grand moment.

"Thank you, Master!" The second Foxgirl said, snuggling closer as meantime, Major Nyutabaru gently held Tuwal, thinking how her warning had probably saved a great many lives. It was an ability that the Japan Meteorological Agency could seriously use. But Nyutabaru also recognized how bad this experience was for Tuwal. It would take a harder man than he to suggest subjecting her to such trauma again by taking her to Japan where scientists would study her gifts, likely heedless of the cost to Tuwal. For now, what mattered was that she was safe.

All around them, the women of the Venus and the Bacchante and indeed all the residents of Akusho saw that only the 'Green Men' were not in terror. Except for perhaps one young man, who pushed down his fear to find the only person that mattered to him. If the world was to end, he would find Tuwal and hold her as it ended.

His name was Prairie but it was her name he shouted as he stumbled his way through the streets to the Venus, where he knew she worked. He knew of the Green Men, subjected himself to their rules so Tuwal would not lose her job if he saw her. He was not sure he understood them but they treated Tuwal well and didn't cheat her and allowed them time to be together. He had been saving money for them to leave Akusho. He was skilled as a farm hand and because of the war and the levies of men that would never return to the fields, that was a skill in demand. But she was doing even better and at least around the Green Men, they were safe. Perhaps he would consider a job at Alnus. Assuming there was a tomorrow to come, of course.

"Tuwal!"

"Prairie!" She cried, hearing him call her name. Major Nyutabaru helped her up and guided her into her lover's arms. It was what she needed more than anything.

"Tuwal! Are you alright?"

"Yes," she nodded choppily. "I told them about feeling the shakes. They listened and had us come outside. We're all safe! At least for now."

"Hardy will kill and claim us all!" A dazed and panicked man screamed. "PLEASE GRANT US MERCY GREAT HARDY!"

"SHUT UP!" Prairie shouted angrily, not wanting to hear it. "STOP PRAYING AND GET UP!" He stepped back from Tuwal. "There are fires that need to be put out and people trapped in their homes! Hardy isn't going to save Akusho! WE WILL! NOW GET MOVING!"

"You heard the young lad!" Captain Harrington shouted. "I want a headcount of our people first and then we go door to door! Block by block! Let's be about it people!"


	48. Chapter 34: Point of No Return

**We had a fun time in Japan but it is time to get back to business.**

 **As always, I do not own GATE or any other recognizable properties.**

 **Please Read, Review, and Hopefully Enjoy!**

 **The Janus Campaign**

 **Chapter 34: Point of No Return**

 **Fort Defiance, Alnus Hill**

With a much relaxed Yeoman Locke at the wheel after her extended leave, Taylor's party returned to Alnus. While for the most part, they had enjoyed the visit, Aenaire, Nayu, Indras, and especially Aurelia had heard more than a number of 'guarded' comments thrown their way. Most of them were in Japanese and their exact meaning harder to parse but the inflections of loathing were hard to mistake. And there were a few spoken in English that were quite clear. Still, there had been some genuine curiosity as well and one waiter at the restaurant had been quietly reprimanded by his manager for refusing to serve the party. Another waiter had been brought over. His service had been impeccable, to the point that an extra round of dessert was ordered So in the end, the good outweighed the bad.

But it was time to return to their duties. Before heading back to Italica, they would meet up with a platoon of Marines from Fox Company. Also, Elder Bram would be joining them. He and Kyas, acting in her role as Matriarch of the Dushi Tribe intended to seek an audience with Countess Myui to request permission to settle the wooded mesa that comprised the north wall of Italica's current defenses, offering their warriors and craftsmen to the defense and expansion of Italica in exchange. For this reason, travel would be conducted using CH-53 Super Stallion helicopters in the interest of time. Fortunately, Merisa had taken both _Imperator_ and _Lexington_ back to Italica days ago.

Of course, there was still a little time for just a little bit of teasing. "I'm glad you were able to help Officer Nikaidou, mother," Nayu told Indras as her mother looked at her smugly. "But did you have to get her wanting to chase our fiance?" She asked looking over at Aenaire.

"I did no such thing and you know it," Indras smirked.

"You helped drive a Pouncer Cat into hunting mode when there were only three Wood Fawns in sight and she wasn't fixating on the other two."

 _I'm not hearing this,_ Taylor told himself. _I'm not hearing this…_

"Can I help it if she has similar taste to the rest of you?"

"Picked up another one, skipper?" Locke asked.

"I did not 'pick up another one'."

"You would break that precious girl's heart, my lord?" Aurelia teased as Panache grinned.

"I'm not going to win, am I?"

"No, my lord. But at least you are wise enough to realize it."

"She might be an interesting addition to the family," Panache mused. "We'll have to see if she follows through. That sort of determination would be quite useful."

"There are limits to this sort of thing, you know."

"Certainly, my lord," Aurelia agreed. "But if we were to entertain allowing another to join us, they would have to be motivated at least."

"Motivated...Hoo boy…" Taylor sighed. The flight back to Italica was uneventful, although poor Aurelia spent the flight folding and covering her ears. Taylor made a note to see if somebody could fabricate earplugs for bunny ears. At least Elves could use earplugs meant for human ears. Glancing over at the Marines, Taylor noticed three faeries huddled together in the lap of a Corporal named Pataki. The corporal grabbed a spare helmet to put over their heads while they huddled. Chief Richardson and Panache's deputy, Millet were waiting when they landed, as was Suissesse Co Mein.

"Enjoy your vacation, sir?"

"As a matter of fact, yes," Taylor replied.

"By the way, congratulations on killing Smaug. I hear the geniuses are swarming all over the carcass. The choppers were doing runs to dump snow on the thing just to keep it cold long enough to preserve the organs. They've got crews with chainsaws trying to cut it up into manageable sections and they're trying to figure out how to move the head once they get it severed."

"Good luck! What about the little ones?"

"The Blue One is actually on ice right now. I told the lab jockeys they could play with everything except the scales if they arranged to keep it cold."

"Nice work! Any luck finding that craftsman I asked about?"

"Lyudo has a man for you. The guy says if the scales and the gold are both real, then he can do it."

"Good. I want to see him in my office tomorrow."

"Do what?" Panache asked.

"Oh, just a little experiment." Taylor lied. He wasn't a natural liar but he didn't want to ruin the surprise. Of course, Aurelia probably knew but what she didn't know is that Taylor had slipped the chief a note to inquire about Warrior Bunny patterns as well.

Panache decided to humor him. She was certain that she would find out soon enough.

In the meantime, Taylor turned to Suissesse and Millet. "Ladies, please allow me to introduce Lieutenant Barnes. His platoon will be joining Lieutenant Meyer's people in assisting your patrols." He turned to the young Marine officer. "Lieutenant Barnes, these Ladies, Capital 'L', by the way, are Suissesse Co Mein and Millet Co Maltus. Lady Suissesse is Deputy Commander of the Company of the Red Rose and Lady Millet is Deputy Commander of the Company of the White Rose."

Barnes saluted them with the sort of crisp, precise salute one might expect of a young Annapolis graduate on the fast track. Promoted to First Lieutenant after only eighteen months, Barnes was already being earmarked as an officer with potential. His mastery of languages was only one of a number of reasons he had been assigned a platoon in Janus Theater of Operations.

"Lady Suissesse, Lady Millet," He greeted them with precise dignity.

Taylor then turned to Nayu with a smile and presented her to Suissesse and Millet. "My Ladies, also allow me to introduce Nayu Ro Nin, a warrior of the Uial tribe of the Burning Heart clan, her mother, Indras Ro Nin, _her_ mother, Matriarch Kyas Ro Nin, Elder Bram Ro Drath, and warriors Yan Ro Dushi, Seymy Ro Kuth, and Met Ro Vel. Elder Bram and Matriarch Kyas are here to petition Countess Myui for the right to settle the forest on the north line. If approved, the Dushi Tribe has promised to add their warriors to the defenses of Italica."

Suissesse looked at the Uial consideringly. The prospect of having trained Uial archers at hand was certainly enticing. She hoped discussions would go well. The addition of another platoon of Marines was certainly welcome news for both Suissesse and Millet, although they both suspected a further increase in tension with the troopers of the Seventh Cohort. The Imperial regulars assigned to the 7th Cohort had already garnered a reputation for minor disciplinary problems and its officers only grudgingly accepted the orders of Panache and her deputies, even with the written commands of the Imperial Princess. The need to keep the Seventh on a short leash had garnered a fair degree of resentment in its ranks.

Of course, the fact that the Marines already in Italica had given the men of the Seventh Cohort the perplexing designation of 'F-Troop' had not helped matters. Millet expected the term was not meant favorably since the Marines always addressed the members of the Order with full courtesy, both singularly and as a whole. The Seventh Cohort might not get the joke but they knew they were the butt of one.

Still, the men of the Seventh performed useful services. Guarding the criminal population laboring in Italica was one of their roles even if they did not like or understand the policy of 'humane' treatment, they learned to live with it, especially once a couple of guards found abusing prisoners were threatened with joining their ranks. They also took sentry duty. This in itself was more for show as Panache and her knights soon came to understand that the tools of the offworlders were far more vigilant and perceptive eyes than normal human ones but it was for the morale of the city that a visible watch be kept. Also, Suissesse, Millet and Decimus, commander of the Black Rose, were becoming familiar enough with the officers and men of the Seventh to start sending some of them out on patrols again. While some men in the unit _were_ disciplinary problems, there were others who had simply allowed a negative inertia to take hold. These men could and would be gradually sorted from the true shirkers and malcontents and retrained. Even a few of the junior officers were starting to come around and take a more proactive attitude, enough that Panache and her deputies had been able to completely reorganize one full centuria to their satisfaction. Although unofficial, since only the Senate or the Emperor could formally establish new units in the Imperial Army, these men were designated as First Century, First Cohort, 101st Legion at Lieutenant Taylor's suggestion. Since the Imperial Eagle had never fallen from use, these men did not object to being issued a new standard, featuring a golden eagle landing, and the Marines did not extend their disdain for 'F-Troop' to these new 'Screaming Eagles'. It was hoped that more soldiers of the Seventh would follow but for now, Panache only counted little over one-quarter of the Seventh Cohort to be reliable enough to use outside of Italica. Overall, the situation in Italica seemed to be shaping up nicely.

Of course, it was a common saying in the Empire that man can prepare for everything but the gods. The afternoon talks between Countess Myui and the Uial representatives had proceeded well since it was clear that the Uial had no aspirations to power in Countess Formar's lands, merely a productive co-existence and symbiotic autonomy. Myui greatly benefitted from her father's policies of racial tolerance that made Italica better suited to such an arrangement that any other indigenous community in Falmart, possibly any community, period. In the end, the countess, now showing signs of a savvy ahead of her years, agreed to the proposals of the Uial Elders with the added stipulation that she wanted at least one of the tribe Elders to sit on her council of advisers. By late afternoon, Myui affixed her seal to an agreement, with Elder Bram, Matriarch Kyas, Panache representing Princess Pina, Lieutenant Taylor representing the Pacific Allies, the ever faithful Kaine, and at Myui's own request, Lieutenant Colonel Henry Blake in attendance.

There was one person who ought to have been there, Henry noted but was strangely absent. The Formar House Butler Bartholomew had been more and more notable for his absences which he blamed on exhaustion and a weak constitution but which Blake, as a trained doctor, did not quite believe. Rather, it appeared to Blake that Bartholomew seemed to be nervous about something. Henry supposed it was his discomfort with all the outworlders but that didn't make sense because he could swear he had seen Bartholomew at one of the local watering holes, buying drinks and chatting with Doctor Stevens and other members of the Science team. No, Henry wasn't certain what was going on but it made him uncomfortable.

What he did not know is that it was actually Henry Blake himself that Bartholomew was avoiding. Bartholomew didn't know how Blake had magicked himself into the Countess's trust but whereas even with Kaine in the picture, Bartholomew had managed to whittle away at Myui's confidence, finding ways to make her doubt her ability to succeed her father. But ever since Blake had gotten here, that outworlder had helped Myui get past many of her doubts and when Bartholomew tried to sew the seed of new fears, it was to Blake whom Myui went seeking reassurance. The more that she turned to Blake, the less she confided in the Butler.

Bartholomew was eager to be well away from Italica. He wanted to be away from Kaine and her fanatical maid staff, away from Pina's pet bitches who walked around full of their own importance, away from the off-world soldiers and their alien ways, and away from these damned academics spouting their incomprehensible blatherings! Why couldn't they leave a simple universe be? He had thought they would be a wonderful source of information with how academics liked to talk but they took even the tiniest of matters and talked it into the most minute detail. Unfortunately, theories about parallel evolution and wind patterns were hardly useful to his employers.

That evening, he was in his second favorite place, a tavern on the north side of the city. It was filled with smoke from pipes. Thornweed was the most popular pleasure but Batholomew preferred to drink. Even his most preferred spot in Italica had lost some of its charm now that the women were charging more in the thriving business climate.

Yes, a vacation would be nice.

He was still drinking when the warning sirens began to scream...

It was impressive how fast Panache could don her armor, a detached portion of Taylor's mind thought as Chief Richardson and one of Panache's knights, a very pretty but serious young blonde woman named 'Ambrosia' if he recalled, arrived at their chamber door at almost the same time.

"What's going on, Chief?"

"Radio room picked up an alert from Bletchley Park, sir. They're putting out an earthquake warning. Alnus has repeated the warning." Bletchley referred to the allied station in Akusho and was coined by Captain Harrington as a reference to the Top Secret British code-breaking unit in the Second World War. As cooperative and friendly as the Rose Order knights might have been, disclosing that the Pacific Allies had a covert base inside Sadera itself was definitely not a good idea.

"Earthquake?" Aurelia asked, paying careful attention as she strapped on the kukri Taylor had given her.

"Violent ground shakes. Depending on how bad, possibly very destructive in a city." He had everyone's attention now. "I'm assuming they think it's going to be big. Has anyone warned Colonel Blake?"

"Yes, sir."

"Good." He raised his voice. "Everybody needs to get outside immediately! Chief! Get the word out. Get the Hummers rolling. We have to get the people outside. Put out their fires and get outside. If they can't then go UP and get under a table, cover their heads."

Panache listened and turned to Ambrosia. "Waken Countess Myui and get her to safety!"

"Yes, ma'am!" The younger knight hurried on her way.

"I need to see to my mother and grandmother," Nayu put in.

"Um… Your mom…" Chief Richardson began

"I'm right here dear!" Indras called from out in the hall. "I'll go get your grandmother! You get Elder Bram and the others!"

Taylor looked at a slightly embarrassed Chief Richardson. "I don't want to know. Just get people moving!"

"Right skipper!"

Elsewhere, Colonel Blake wasted no time in checking on Kaine. They arrived at Myui's room at the same time as Ambrosia. Satisfied that the Countess was safe, Henry turned to Kaine. "We need to get all of your people outside."

The short warning undoubtedly saved many lives in Italica that night. The east wall suffered the most damage as the ground shook. Terrified citizens praying to be spared One particular religious sect called the Inferni were also praying but praying that their neighbors be spared. Katrine and Persia had been among many feeling odd in the past day or so, not understanding why until the shaking began and now, once outside the mansion, huddled together, crying for Kurata to be with them on what they thought might be the last night of the world. Myui was wrapped in the arms of Henry Blake as Kaine and Mamina held on to him In the meantime, Taylor held Aenaire as she held her son. Nayu, Aurelia and Panache also clustered around. As the ground shook, for those few minutes, there were no Imperials or offworlders or Warrior Bunnies or Medusae, only people clinging to each other for their lives.

Finally, the initial quake ended.

As the shock passed, people began to get to their feet and take action.

Henry Blake smiled at Myui gently and stood up. "Now I gotta go to work, honey. Kaine and Mamina will take care of you." He turned to Kaine. "There may be more shakes. Stay out here until we can be reasonably sure there won't and that the building is safe. Klinger!"

"Yes! Oh clustered one!"

"Get a head count on our people and have Newsome, Able and Bayliss meet me over at the Dispensary. We're gonna have a busy night. Then call up the unit and see if they can spare any help. After that, check with the science team. Anybody with medical training of any kind, I need 'em!"

"Yes, your Colonelness! I'm off!"

Panache and Taylor then began assigning teams of two marines and two knights each to take whatever vehicles were available to start checking on the neighboring villages. Everyone left began a house to house check for trapped or injured people. The Inferni immediately volunteered to serve on rescue teams, to gather food and provide it to the victims and the work parties. After this night, the name of the Inferni would never be spoken in disdain within the walls of Italica.

 **407th Combat Support Hospital, Alnus**

"No, we're alright, Klinger. Koire started getting the shakes real bad about an hour or so ago. So we knew something was up. Just didn't know what until the warning came in. So we're still here. The engineers and field medics are heading into the town first but it looks like we got lucky."

 _"It's gonna be rougher out here, Radar. Even though we got warning, we can already tell the southeast section of town took a beating. Figure cause it already took a beating. Look, Radar, Colonel Blake says we can use all the supplies and all the help we can get. He's trying to organize a three-ringed circus of our guys, a couple of Marine corpsman, some of the scientists with medical training and any local healers we can find."  
_

"We'll send you everything we can, Klinger."

 _"Thanks, Radar. By the way, spend the quake snuggled up to anyone special?"_

Radar blushed just a bit. He and Parna had actually ridden out the quake together mutually terrified. It wasn't as if Iowa was known for earthquakes after all. "Better than going through that alone! That's for sure. How about you?"

 _"Me? No love for Toledo tonight. Anyway, I'd better get going. Colonel Blake says to be ready if we need some of these people choppered back to you guys."_

"Roger that, Klinger. And hey… Take care of yourself."

 **Imperial Palace, Sadera**

Princess Pina stifled the fear inside her. When the ground began to shake, she was as scared as anyone, but the example of Itami and the others from beyond the Gate shamed her a little. For her, the shaking had been the vexation of gods whom she did not trust. For them, it was simply another event which they dealt with in a calm, rational manner. And that is what she needed to do. She first needed to rally her own people and then see to her father's safety. Initially, Itami, Sugawara, and Russell had been reluctant to accompany her to the palace, but Russell's Marine escort included a 'corpsman' who could treat His Majesty if he were injured. Also, her father might have questions if she went by herself and told him that more shakes might come.

Although Pina understood their point about armed hostiles entering the Emperor's presence in a time of war, she considered it a moot point as if these people truly wished to harm her father, they could easily do so, invited or not. Further, as she looked out over Sadera and saw fires burning in the city, the Empire simply had no more time to indulge in this pointless war. Hopefully, her father would see this.

Indeed, as she witnessed Imperial soldiers and even the vaunted Imperial Guards praying, cowering, and crying, Pina realized that the Emperor was in far greater danger from the chaos around them than the offworlders. The only thing currently standing between His Majesty and any who might wish to depose him was the fact that they too were likely in an equal state of shock.

Once more, however, the Order continued to swell her heart with pride. Hamilton, Bozes, and Vifita all quickly shaking off their own shock and fear and while Hamilton accompanied her liege, Bozes and Vifita, meanwhile, were quick to rally their companies to respond to Her Highness's orders as needed. Of course, while the Imperial Army was rebuilding, the Rose Order was also growing. The Order now had a designated training company: The Company of the Blue Rose was filled with patriotic young noblewomen who, being barred from the Imperial Army. sought other ways to defend their nation. Whereas it had taken years to recruit and train the six hundred mounted knights of the Red, Yellow, and White Rose, over four hundred young noblewomen had signed up to join them in the past six months. Of course, with shrewd reasoning, Pina had eased the entry qualifications. No longer would prospective knights be required to furnish their own horses. Since the Pacific Allies did not use horses, at least to the extent the Empire did, the significant number of horses captured by the Allies after the battles at Alnus represented more of a drain on their resources rather than an asset. So, Pina had arranged to repatriate some of those animals, allowing women from less wealthy families to join. She had her eye to promoting Suissesse to command the next company when it graduated but right now, she was too valuable in Italica.

But that was a matter for another time. Right now, she had to get to her father and she had to help get control of the chaos around them. Bidding Itami and the others to wait in the antechamber outside the throne room, Pina went to her father's room to find him dressing.

"Father! Where are your guards?"

He smiled, feeling the need to suppress his fear in front of her but also pleasantly surprised to see her having gotten to him this quickly. "They were too frightened to be of use as guards. I ordered them to find my manservant and also the Captain of the Guard. Perhaps when they come back, they can comport themselves like members of My Guard."

Pina put a hand on the hilt of her sword. "Until then, allow me to be your guard, Your Majesty."

Molt nodded his assent. "Very well, then." He finished dressing. "Shall we go?"

"Of course, Your Majesty." Pina led her father to his throne room and watched with satisfaction as he took his throne. She then addressed the handful of soldiers she had managed to gather to this point who had either kept or regained their composure.

"Send riders to every camp! Every Minister and General is to report immediately!" Not giving them another thought as she turned to the palace maids, whom Hamilton had thankfully gotten under control.

"Clean this hall at once!"

The maids hurried to obey Her Imperial Command and Emperor Molt studied his daughter with an appraising eye. He was pleased by her ability to handle herself and respond in a crisis. He was also mildly disappointed. Not in Pina, but in his sons. Well, that was a mistake too late to fix, he supposed.

"You've grown," He mused, the pride returning even as he spotted the eight people waiting discreetly to one side. He knew who they were, of course, at least in a general sense. Pina might be able to fool Zorzal but these were obviously the representatives of Japan… Well, except for the Dark Elf, of course. He was not sure how their kind fit into all this but it was a non sequitur. It was interesting that Pina trusted them enough to bring them into his presence in such a time as this. Well, it was better to get it all out into the open. He truly did not like secrets between himself and Pina.

"Introduce me to these people, Pina," he commanded.

Pina sighed. Of course, it had to happen eventually but she found herself still hesitant to speak it. "Yes, Your Majesty. Allow me to introduce Mister Sugawara, from Japan," she indicated a youngish man in his thirties. His careful expression and stance marked him as a bureaucrat. It was not an unfavorable thing to say. But this Sugawara was apparently a young man who had made government his calling. Then Molt turned his eyes to the older, taller man standing calmly a couple of feet away and perhaps a pace behind. Sugawara's mentor perhaps?

"And this is Special Ambassador Russell, from the United States of America," Pina answered the silent question. So, another country? Another miscalculation. They had failed to consider whether Japan had client states to bring into the fight as he himself had summoned.

"With them are Lieutenant Itami and Sergeants Kuribayashi and Tomita of the JSDF and Lieutenant Garrovick and Sergeant Kaminski of the United States Marines. Also, Yao Ro Dushi, of the Burning Heart tribe."

"And why are they here?"

"I asked them to come, father. They have much more experience with the ground shakes than we do. Also, Sergeant Kaminski is a healer, in case you were hurt, Your Majesty."

"I see," His voice had gone cold and stern. Molt may have had great affection for his youngest child but this was a serious matter. He stood up and addressed the representatives bluntly.

"Emissaries, I would like to welcome you but unfortunately, as you can see, we are in a bit of a crisis. So we'll have to hold your welcome party at some other time."

"Of course, Your Majesty," Sugawara replied. "We understand. As long as you will allow the opportunity for negotiations, that is more than enough."

The cool but cordial reception was as much as Pina could hope for. Unfortunately, the arrival of her brother, Zorzal strutting in with his retinue of thugs and a small detachment of soldiers quickly caused things to spiral out of control as he brusquely shoved passed the Allied delegation with the disregard one would give a stray dog.

"Father!" Zorzal called. "Father! I am glad you are fine. Now. Let's get out of here!" His words sounded like commands.

"Brother! Wait!" Pina wondered just exactly what her brother thought he was doing. While there was danger, They had to get control of this situation, not just flee from it! And why was Zorzal acting as if he had some special knowledge? "I just summoned…"

Zorzal cut her off. "This is NO time to dawdle Noriko says that another earthquake could come at any time!"

With the exception of Yao, who would have no cause to recognize it as such, the rest of the Allied party suddenly felt a hard chill at the mention of what was definitely a Japanese name. For her part, Pina wanted to know how Zorzal knew anything about the earthquake. She felt an icy pit in her stomach as she asked. "Who is this Noriko?"

Her worst fears were realized as at a gruff gesture, a young girl in chains and the ragged clothes of a slave was dragged forward.

"This girl," Zorzal said matter-of-factly. "This is Noriko. She is one of the survivors of those we captured from the other side of the Gate." He strode over to her like the Lord of Creation, kicking her and jerking her upright by her arm. "Tell His Majesty what you told me earlier! Hurry!" He demanded, grabbing her chin.

"Please... No more.." The girl cried weakly. She had told everything! But initially, Zorzal had believed she was trying to make a fool of him.

In another reality, Itami might have rushed Zorzal, so anxious he was to smash the arrogant prince for the blatant cruelty to this girl, this fellow Japanese. But here, his actions were more deliberate as he almost casually unholstered his sidearm and discharged it into the air above them. The loud report of the gun having the desired effect as all heads present turned to Itami.

"I think you should let her go," Itami said and aimed his gun at the lackey who grabbed the girl's chain as Zorzal turned to regard Itami with confusion and contempt.

"And who are you?"

"Itami Youji, Japanese Self-Defense Forces. And I think you're holding one of our people."

"I agree," Sugawara said. "We were aware that Japanese citizens had been abducted. But to find them here is very disturbing," he said coldly, looking not at Zorzal, but at Pina and the Emperor.

"Please!" Pina implored. "Forgive us for my sake!" Damn Zorzal! Flavius and Dyet had been making considerable progress on locating off-worlders taken captive by Imperial forces. At present, well over forty off world citizens were now recovering safely at a private villa to the south. Pina had intended to gather as many as she could find and then present them safe and sound at a gala once formal talks were announced. But Zorzal had ruined that. She only hoped that she could at least somewhat salvage this.

Sugawara was about to reply when Zorzal's cruel laugh cut him off.

"I don't know how you got in here but it doesn't matter. You barbarians think you can command the Son of the Emperor? I think you need to learn your place!" He snapped his fingers and his thugs stepped forward menacingly.

Yao knew that she would give her life here if needed to protect Lord Itami. She tensed as Itami looked over at Lieutenant Garrovick.

"My play. Please see to the safety of Mister Russell and Mister Sugawara. "

"As long as no one tries to interfere, lieutenant," Garrovick replied.

Itami nodded. "Tomita! Kuribayashi! Fire at will."

Shino grinned. She would have preferred to gut some of these foul pigs with the cold steel of her bayonet but after the Battle of Italica, Lieutenant Taylor had torn a strip off her hide for recklessly endangering herself. She might be a close quarters combat specialist, but the JSDF had kindly provided her with a gun and bullets for a reason and part of that reason was keeping Shino Kuribayashi from accidentally becoming a human skewer. So, she flicked the safety off her rifle and she and Tomita quite effectively made short work of Zorzal's henchmen.

Seeing his men fall, the shocked and angry Prince ordered the nearby soldiers to form rank and slaughter the barbarians. These men were cut to ribbons between Kuribayashi and Tomita's Type 64 rifles and Lieutenant Garrovick's .45 Colt M1911. Zorzal, seeing the carnage, dropped for cover in fear. Unlike his late half-brother, Zorzal had never faced a battle where the odds were not vastly stacked in his favor. The prospect of his own, personal death was a terrifying one. At the same time, Pina watched in horror, both for the soldiers dying before her eyes and for her plans for peace which seemed to be dying on these same floors. Only the Emperor, himself remained impassive.

Finally, the gunfire stopped. At least a score of men lay dead or dying on the floor of the Emperor's throne room. Only by obeying Kuribayashi's very clear instructions to drop their weapons did a few survive.

Of course, with the immediate threat to his own safety apparently abated, Zorzal called them for cowards even as Itami ordered Shino to see to the girl, Noriko, while Tomita kept his rifle ready. Sergeant Kaminski joined Shino and began a brief cursory checked for injuries. Itami stepped toward Zorzal, holding a level gaze on him.

"Now, Prince… You said she was ONE of the survivors. That means you know where there are others. Tell me where they are."

"I don't answer questions from barbarians," Zorzal snorted in contempt.

"I see," Itami said quietly and turned to Kuribayashi. "Explain it to him."

"Hai!" Shino grinned. She was going to enjoy this, she thought as she walked up to Zorzal, who stood at least a foot taller. To Zorzal, this apparent mismatch was more annoyance than a threat. The barbarian bitch had put down her coward's weapon and was daring to challenge him physically? He would beat her for her insolence and once his father had summoned more troops to kill the others, Zorzal would enjoy breaking the little bitch.

He swung at her but his technique was that of a bully, not a fighter and Kuribayashi was a trained hand to hand specialist, not a victim. She easily stepped inside his swing and punched him hard in the jaw, enough to draw blood and stagger Zorzal who fell to the floor, whereupon Shino leaped on him, keeping him pinned as she proceeded to savagely beat him in such a display of violence that many of the survivors swore that Shino was no woman born of flesh but a demon in human form. She beat him until he pleaded for mercy as Pina averted her eyes, unable to watch. Pina thought Zorzal crude and arrogant but he was still her blood. It hurt to see it come to this even as part of her mind reminded her that he had been given ample opportunity to avert this outcome. It was his choice. Strange that Zorzal would never recall the pain on his sister's face but would instead remember the silent, dispassionate look of the Emperor, who made not one sound of protest, uttered not one command to stop the savage beating, did nothing at all but watched.

Finally, it stopped. Kuribayashi stepped back as Itami stepped over and aimed his gun at Zorzal's head. "Now. Answer my questions." He ordered the terrified man.

Only to have a tall figure clad in the rags of a slave interpose herself. Yao tensed at Itami's side knowing how dangerous a Warrior Bunny could be.

"Don't kill him," Tyuule said. It was insane. The man she hated most, but Zorzal had to survive or her plans for vengeance would come to naught. That is until a fragile, delicate voice spoke in the silence of the throne room.

"Tyuule…" Noriko said, reaching a hand toward her. Itami looked over to Noriko and then to Tyuule.

"You took what didn't belong to you. Now I will take something of yours." Itami looked up at Tyuule. "Tomita, Kuribayashi, escort her and Noriko outside."

Tyuule looked stunned at Noriko's outstretched hand. She didn't understand what was happening as a firm hand guided her away from Zorzal. As she walked away, she heard Itami repeat himself.

"I won't ask again. Where are the other survivors?"

"The men were sold into slavery. I don't know what happened to them after that."

"We have ideas about that then," Itami said grimly.

Sugawara nodded. "We suspected that some of our people were here. Princess Pina, we do not hold you, personally to blame in this but we expect as full an accounting as you can soonest," He turned to Molt. "It looks like that party will have to wait, Your Majesty."

"Japan has strong soldiers, Mister Sugawara but also a glaring weakness," Molt told him.

"Oh?"

"Your arms are strong but your hearts are soft. That's a dangerous combination and a weakness that less civilized but hardier people will eventually turn against you. You would do well to remember that."

For the first time, Ambassador Russell spoke. "I think you'll find that we're strong enough to be both. In return, I submit that an Empire without people isn't much of an Empire, Your Majesty. You might consider that."

"Perhaps."

As Pina watched Itami and the others leave, two lives had reached irrevocable turning points. For Tyuule, the whisper of her Delicate Flower had delivered her from bondage and a personal madness that had begun to take hold in her heart.

For Prince Zorzal, the ties of blood had died in the silence of his father's voice as barbarians beat and humiliated him and in his heart, Zorzal knew his enemy, the bonds of affection had died to be replaced with a consuming hate.


	49. Chapter 35: Aftermath

**Moving on in the wake of the first major earthquake to hit the Empire in centuries. Once again, I do not own GATE.**

Now on with our story, and as always, please Read and Review!

 **The Janus Campaign**

 **Chapter 35: Aftermath**

 **Fort Defiance, Alnus  
**

It had been hours since the earthquake and Tyuule was still trying to make sense of all that had happened. The one time Queen of the Warrior Bunnies and until today, slave of the Imperial Prince was astounded by the vehicles used by Noriko's people. Especially the helicopter that carried her and sweet Noriko to Alnus. Well, astounded might not be the right word as Tyuule's mind was simply overwhelmed. The noise from the engines was horrible as she folded her ears and pressed her head into Noriko's lap. She spent the entire flight like that trying to close out the chaos of alien sounds around here. The only sensation that Tyuule allowed herself to feel was the calming touch of Noriko holding her, while inside she pulled away to a world of her thoughts. Of course, it was right that Noriko be freed and Tyuule admitted that if Noriko had left her there, Tyuule would have surely felt a betrayal worse that Zorzal's lies and nearly as bad as her own people's hatred. Tyuule was terrified of the madness that still called to her. It was a demon that wanted to consume her in hate and she had been so near to being its slave even more than Zorzal's. But somehow, her sweet, beloved Noriko had saved her. At least for now.

For there was still part of her that wanted to scream at Noriko and the other worlders for pulling her away and denying her chance to destroy the Empire and yes… her own people for despising her. Was it not for them she had allowed herself to become the plaything of a sadistic monster? And for her own kind to call her 'betrayer' and swear vengeance upon her? How dare they! They had chosen her to lead the great war and she had tried. She had failed but she had never betrayed her people.

But sitting next to her beautiful flower, Tyuule wanted none of the hate, none of revenge tainting the warm feeling of her deliverance. Zorzal had lied to her so of course, he lied to her people. And the events in the throne room had shown quite clearly that Zorzal was determined to seek the most self-destructive path possible. Bouros would still try to manipulate that to his own ends but, inevitably, Zorzal would destroy everything he touched. So it was not even necessary for Tyuule to be there to guide him. The only question was whether he would destroy himself alone or take the Empire with him. Tyuule realized she didn't care if the Empire lived or died. Whether Zorzal was the Empire or an aberration, the Empire would either follow him down in flames or it would deny him as surely as her own people denied her. Either would be fitting and was no longer her problem.

Eventually, they arrived at Alnus. It was a few hours but Tyuule honestly couldn't say whether it was hours, minutes, or eternity. She turned to Noriko as the helicopter settled over its landing pad and the noise of the engines ceased and gave her a small smile. It was a frightening new world but Tyuule would not be afraid of tomorrow for her Flower would be there to guide her.

 **Imperial Palace, Sadera**

Emperor Molt sat deep in thought. Zorzal's surviving henchmen had helped him from the throne room. Next to Molt, his youngest child, Pina stood projecting an admirable calm as she continued to deal with messengers and pass instructions. Through her, the Empire was beginning to react to the disaster that had struck. More specifically, the disaster that the public was aware of. For in Molt's own throne room, another had unfolded before him.

Molt could now see that his plan to drag out talks with the Japanese and their allies was as dead as the Imperial soldiers cut down by the foreigners' weapons before his eyes. He could see it in their eyes and hear it in their words that so directly antagonized, they had no incentive to allow matters to quietly drag on.

Pina had understood this.

Once again, Molt faced the folly of his own choices. Zorzal was not capable of running the Empire without guidance and one thing the night's events had taught him was an awareness of his own mortality. If Molt were to die, leaving the Empire in Zorzal's hands, it would be a disaster and one that Molt had very deliberately shaped. But Pina was different. Naive, too trusting perhaps, but strong AND adaptable. Even now, with the dismay she certainly had to feel, she remained here, doing her duty to bring order amid the chaos. Except, Molt admitted with a touch of shame, it was not Pina's duty. It was his. As more of the guard reported in and the various generals and ministers began to report in, Molt turned to his daughter and favored her with a smile.

"You have done well this night, Pina but it is time for you to see to your own. Do not worry. General Maxius is setting up his command tent outside as we speak. I will move there once that is complete, I promise. But your brother has left us with a problem. I will work on this matter and trust you to work on repairing the harm he has caused. They trust you and after this night, I would trust no other to handle this. I must place a heavy burden upon you but you have shown me that you are fully capable of bearing it." He lowered his head and sighed, speaking very quietly.

"We have lost, Pina. I cannot avoid this truth. But this is not something our people or indeed, many in positions of power are ready to hear yet. At least not in such a direct manner. Be careful and be clever, my daughter. You must fix the errors I have made."

Pina acknowledged her father's dismissal and withdrew. Champagne, a very promising knight of the Red Rose, waited with a fresh horse for Her Highness. Together, the two rode back to the Jade Palace, where Pina was relieved that Misters Sugawara and Russell had not simply left.

She approached them with some trepidation."Ambassadors, again, please believe me! I had no knowledge that my own brother was holding one of your people!"

"As we said," Sugawara told her, "We do not hold you, personally responsible. We do, however, have every intention of getting our people back, through whatever means are necessary."

Pina nodded. "If… If you could supply me with a list of just who I might be looking for? Anything might help?" Pina respected and liked Itami and even considered him 'friend' but she had just watched his people kill twenty Saderans in order to retrieve one Japanese citizen. While it was true that it would never have come to that had Zorzal not forced the outcome, it still underscored that the Japanese would be utterly ruthless in their efforts to recover their people and if it was necessary for them to kill twenty Saderans for each of their people, then they would do so without hesitation. If they had to kill a hundred, they would do so, and if they had to level Sadera, they would do so.

Sugawara nodded. "That is not an unreasonable request. We will see that it is as complete a listing as we can."

Pina nodded, then after careful consideration decided to reveal what her people had managed to accomplish to date on that matter. While it was not how she intended to reveal her efforts, she felt that a failure to fully disclose her efforts would, at some point, cause a dangerous misunderstanding. "In the interest of full disclosure, two of my knights have successfully located forty-seven people from your world, mostly women. They are recovering at a private villa. I had hoped to disclose this once official talks began. My knights, Flavius and Dyet are still searching for others."

"I see," Sugawara considered. Pina's strategy made some sense but now, Japan and her allies would have to respond. "We will want to arrange for their repatriation as soon as possible."

"Of course," Pina replied. "If I may? What will your people do now?"

"We have a number of options, your Highness." Ambassador Russell remarked, joining the conversation. "Our governments will want to send a clear message to your people. We, of course, are not at liberty to disclose exactly what form our response will take."

"Of course," Pina replied solemnly.

"However," Russell continued. "We have no desire to either harm innocent lives if it can be avoided and we have no desire to abandon the dialogue we have begun."

"You have my personal gratitude," Pina told them.

"And you have ours, Your Highness," Sugawara told her. "Hopefully, there will be no other surprises on our path to peace."

 **Italica**

It was a rescue operation unlike anything in recorded history. Even as a number of Knights of the Rose Order and Marines of 2nd platoon, Echo Company partnered up to investigate and report on the condition of the local villages, 1st platoon of Fox Company deployed to the hardest hit section of Italica. Their Fae operated on tether lines, flying into crevices too small for others to manage, searching for signs of victims trapped under the rubble of collapsed buildings. Bunny Warriors listened with incredible hearing for signs of life while Canids and Catgirls utilized enhanced senses of smell. Dwarven builders helped survey damaged buildings and guided in shoring them up. As noted before, Inferni did everything from serve meals to laboring to clear debris. More of Panache's knights worked alongside Uial to clear landing zones for helicopters while several members of the Science Mission ministered next to local mystic healers and an Inferni Priestess. Elves used spirit magic to allow some patients to sleep while they awaited treatment. All of them working under the direction of Colonel Blake.

"Everything you can name, we need Colonel!" Taylor reported to Colonel Emerson back at Alnus. "Blankets, tents, bandages… You name it sir! Right now, we could use every flashlight you can find, sir. The one thing we have in abundance are volunteers but we need to be able to see to do anything useful, sir."

 _"We will send you everything we can,"_ Emerson promised. What he could not disclose was that General Hazama was now having to deal with another situation. Namely that involving the confrontation between Lieutenant Itami and Prince Zorzal. Still, as Hazama's ranking deputy, Emerson would take charge of directing the relief efforts from Alnus.

"Thank you, sir. That's about all for now, sir. I'm sure you can appreciate that I need to get out there now."

 _"Very good, lieutenant,"_ Emerson agreed. Battles were won in the field, after all, and what was a disaster but another kind of battle to be fought?

Waiting for him outside his office was an inferni woman who identified herself as Mary and that she was the Church Mother for their sect in Italica.

"One of my parishioners has been missing since the shaking. I am confidently sure where she is but I can't get the search teams to look for her."

"Why not?" Panache asked.

"Because she was in a building we used to use for supplies. It was damaged during the fighting on the last big push on the South Gate. Most of the buildings in that area were abandoned after the battle, which is why none of the search crews want to go there." Mary sighed. "I can understand their reasoning. It's a large area to look for only two people when there are entire neighborhoods that need help. But I know they are there and I know if God is merciful, you will help them."

"You said one of your parishioners was missing but you believe _two_ people are trapped," Taylor noted. "Who is the other person?"

"She is Kas, a Thraken girl and a priestess of a sect of the goddess Miritta declared heretical by the central temple in Sadera," Mary explained. "It has always been our way to aid the persecuted, as we ourselves have often been. We were giving them the building to convert it into a temple. Since the area was pretty much abandoned, we all believed that would give their worshippers privacy. Abigail was going to help them set up."

"I'm impressed that you would be so willing to help the followers of a competing religion, ma'am," Yeoman Locke observed.

"For us, there are no competing religions. Other gods obviously exist in this world, although they are obviously lesser than the Lord Creator of the Universe. We know not what their role in God's plan might be but we will not dismiss them. In this way, we hope to guide others to hear the word of Our Lord."

Taylor looked at Panache. With the search parties organized and higher-ups informed, there was precious little to be gained by sitting in his office. "Locke… We'll need rope, flashlights, shovels, walkie talkies. water, and first aid kits." He turned to Mary. "Let's go." Together, Taylor, Locke, Panache, Aurelia, and Nayu followed Mary to the site of the former storage building, having gathered whatever hands weren't already busy. Aenaire joined them as Galador plead that his hands could at least help. Taylor relented, provided Galador did exactly as he was told. Taylor did not want to risk his son's safety but his son was right, this was no time to refuse any hand they could find. Among those they encountered was Doctor Stevens who, unfortunately, did not hold a medical doctorate as some of his colleagues did but despite his previous reluctance to interfere with the existing society, was anxious to help in any way he could.

"Doctor, right now there are some things that you might be the best person to handle."

"Whatever I can!"

Taylor pointed over to where a large party was working through a collapsed tenement building.

"You've got a camera. Film that. Everyone on Earth needs to see what's going on here. Not the tragedy," he clarified. "But those people coming together. I'd dare say this is the single most diverse group of people in history coming together to help their neighbors. That story needs to be told."

"Do you think anyone back home will even care?"

"Maybe some will."

"Why not here?" Stevens asked.

"Because I'm not the story." He gestured back to the crowd, men and women dug with whatever tools they had or with their hands until they were exhausted and only then relenting and allowing fresh hands to take their place. "It's theirs and you're the guy who is going to tell it."

Stevens nodded.

"Go make some history, Doctor." Taylor clapped the Sociologist on the shoulder. Then, he walked over to where the Church Mother indicated the entrance to the building had been.

"Aurelia, keep your ears open for any unusual sounds. Sounds of life or of something shifting."

"Yes, My Lord."

"Let's get some light?" He asked Aenaire only to be surprised when Mary began to cast a strong light spell.

"Will this do?" She asked.

"Huh… I would have thought your church might have a problem with magic. 'Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live'," Taylor quoted.

Mary shook her head. "Poisoner," she corrected. "And all power comes from God. So we consider it His will that we use the gifts he grants us in carrying out his work and mercy." Mary smiled. "It is the abuse of His granted gifts and attempting to subvert His will that our scripture forbids."

 _Wonder what the 'Backwoods Baptists' will make of that,_ Taylor thought. _Mom is going to get a kick out of this!_ At any rate, the warm and bright glow of a large ball of light, almost as bright as one of the defensive searchlights on the outer walls. Reminded of this, Taylor sent a man back to get the spare lights out for the rescue parties.

"Now let's start digging." After much effort, they managed to break through to a pocket in the ruins. Eventually, they found the two young women, one Inferni, and a four-armed Thraken huddled together under the stone steps that led into the cellar. The Iferni, Abigail, was semi-conscious and continuing to murmur prayers as Taylor brushed a lock of white-blonde hair from her face. Her compatriot smiled weakly at Taylor and looked at him with violet eyes, almost electric in color.

"They knew you would come. It is good their faith was rewarded. Her God has rewarded her faith. My rewards will come soon." The Thraken lost consciousness, in Aurelia's arms, drained it seemed.

"Not if I have anything to say about it. Not today," Taylor said gently, unaware he had misunderstood.

 **Palace of Prince Zorzal El Caesar, Sadera.**

Zorzal sat on his bed, staring out his window at the Capital. Part of him almost seemed to gather cruel satisfaction as he noted the fires burning. He hated them. He hated all those worthless little nothings. He hated them for all the adoration they gave his father, _Father_ … Zorzal snorted in contempt at the word. _What father allows his enemy to assail his son and heir like this?_ Zorzal knew Molt was many things: calculating, occasionally cold but never before had Zorzal thought the Emperor was a coward. _Yes, only a coward would stay silent while barbarians beat his son._

Zorzal continued to brood as the healer finished ministering to the sullen prince, curtly dismissing the man when he was finished. Virtually no one, even those among his closest associates, dared approach him until Bouro, his tool and spy, entered with head lowered in a suitably and appropriately submissive posture.

"Your Highness, I have just heard was has happened. Not only is the assault on your person a shocking crime but compounded with Tyuule's betrayal!"

Zorzal actually looked curious at that. Tyuule had stood to protect him. It was the barbarians who took her. "Betrayal?"

"I suppose it should have been expected of a mere slave but I do not think betrayal is too strong a word. After all, have you not been a generous master? And should not a slave love her master? If Tyuule had truly been loyal, then why did she not fight to stay with her master, who has loved her with such great kindness?"

The Prince had not considered that. Bouro was correct. He had been very generous to Tyuule and the Rabbit Bitch had betrayed him! It made him all the angrier.

"Why are you here… beyond to lap at my feet, Bouro?"

Bouro suppressed a flash of anger at his patron. _One day your usefulness will be at an end, oh prince. On that day I will cut your beating heart out in front of you and throw it to the dogs._ But there was much work to be done first and Zorzal was a necessary tool. Truly, losing Tyuule had been an irritation to Bouro's plans but Tyuule had always been expendable anyway. The loss merely forced him to accelerate other plans.

"I thought that perhaps His Highness would benefit from… company."

"You're hardly my type, Bouro."

"Yes, Your Highness… But there is a lady born of noble Imperial Blood who has been very interested in meeting you and serving His Highness were it his desire."

"Oh?" Zorzal had to admit that he was intrigued.

Bouro grinned. Raising his voice, he gestured to the door. "I present Lady Cassiopeia."

Zorzal looked to see a tastefully dressed young woman enter his chambers. Odd that she was clearly Vulpine.

"Cassiopeia…" Zorzal rolled the name thoughtfully. "I was told you are of noble blood. Curious."

"My father is a Senator, your highness. However, it appears I am an inconvenience. A shame to the family. "But is the shame mine or his, My Prince?" She dared. "That I should suffer for his weaknesses?"

Expertly, she twisted the knife in Zorzal's wounds as she struck a chord in him. "It's like a betrayal, isn't it, Cassiopeia?"

"Yes, Your Highness. Blood betrayals cut the deepest. I would give my undying devotion if he would simply acknowledge me as his."

"Perhaps such devotion is more than such a man deserves, Cassiopeia," Zorzal replied. Then he smiled as he saw something in her eyes. Something beyond mere agreement to understanding. He turned to Bouro. "Leave us. We will speak later."

Bouro acknowledged the dismissal and left, satisfied.

"Cassiopeia…" He smiled at her.

"That is the name my mother gave me. It is yours to command me with if you wish, My Prince."

"Is there another name you would go by?" He asked.

"For those who do not deserve my given name, I call myself 'Vendetta'." She dared a hateful smirk.

Zorzal smiled again, despite the pain. "Vendetta… It is a name that promises deeds, my dear."

"Indeed, My Prince."

"Tell me what is to be done with those who would betray Your Prince?"

"The price of betrayal is death, My Prince."

Zorzal grinned and though his body hurt in terrible ways, he pulled Vendetta to himself. "Serve me well," he commanded. "Serve me and me alone and I will give you vengeance upon those that have wronged you and forced you to hide. Serve only me and I may grant you the World itself."


	50. Chapter 36: Demonstrations

**Another chapter! I _still_ do not own GATE or any other recognizable properties. **

**As always, Read, Review, and Enjoy!**

 **Chapter 36: Demonstrations**

 **Situation Room, White House, Washington DC**

 _"You can well understand our people's need for action against these… thugs."_ The face of Prime Minister Shinzo Motoi was becoming increasingly worn with lines of worry. A compromise candidate after the fall of Prime Minister Hojo's government two months after the Invasion of Ginza, Shinzo reminded President Merwin of the proverbial 'long-tailed cat in a rocking chair factory'. Shinzo was not a man comfortable with taking risks but in the uncertain climate of post-Gate Japan, every choice was a risk. Merwin expected that sooner or later the political tides would shift and toss the Prime Minister right off the razor's edge he was poised upon and so did the Prime Minister. Merwin nodded back at the video screen.

"Of course, I understand. Hell! A few of our people are missing too!"

 _"Then you agree that strenuous action must be taken to demonstrate our resolve to the Saderan Empire?"_

"Action, yes. But just what action? I understand that Her Imperial Highness, Princess Pina has not only been instrumental in attempting to facilitate peace talks but on her own risk and initiative, has recovered a number of our people?"

 _"That is what I have heard as well. Of course, we have not yet had an opportunity to confirm this since the earthquake."_ Shinzo looked frustrated.

"Then if that were to be proven so, then do we want to risk undercutting her and the peace faction of their Senate with a large scale punitive action?"

Shinzo's eyes flashed a touch of anger. _Hypocrite!_ He thought. Still, whether he liked it or not, the Americans were the ones covering Japan's bets in this game. _"You would have us do nothing? Or perhaps shall we grovel before these savages to get our people back?"_

Merwin leaned forward with a hard stare. The Prime Minister seemed to visibly flinch and he backed down.

 _"My apologies, Mister President. It has been a difficult time. Still… We must send the Empire a message that we will not be toyed with!"_

"Not the Empire, Mister Prime Minister," Secretary of State Waters spoke up. "The Emperor." he corrected. "Well, him and their Senate. Of course, we need to do this in such a way as we don't hand a propaganda victory to them by precipitating a massacre."

"Now," Merwin added. "While we don't want to undermine Princess Pina," he smiled. "This Prince Zorzal needs some wind taken out of his sails."

The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs nodded. "We've drawn up a little Operation we're calling 'Operation Lancaster'. Originally, the plan had been drawn up as 'Operation Doolittle' but somebody with more tact had ordered it renamed. "Quick, surgical… It should drive our point home."

 _"I'm sure the footage will look very impressive on television, general."_

"Yes," General Maclaren agreed "Of course, there are other people who need to be 'sent a message'," he added. "I can't go into details. Let's just say that some people need to be given a reason to rethink their lives..."

* * *

 **Akusho District, Sadera**

Inwardly, Captain Harrington frowned. After what had happened in the Emperor's Palace, everyone knew some sort of retaliation was in the offering. Logically and rationally, he, Major Nyutabaru, and Lieutenant Theisman all understood this. _Emotionally_ ; however, they all felt the brass had taken a piss-poor time to do it. Sadera was still digging itself out from the earthquake. The smoke from fires could still be seen rising over the city Akusho was in somewhat better shape with the advanced warning Tuwal had provided coupled with Major Nyutabaru's quick action had prevented many casualties and many fires but even here all hands were busy digging out survivors and containing the few fires that had sprung up.

The one lucky break for everyone in the district was that the Imperial Army was far too busy in the rest of Sadera to start nosing around and inquiring why Akusho, of all places, was less of a disaster than the rest of the city. Akusho had pretty much been used to being its own city. A city that had its laws imposed from its powerful next-door neighbor but whose enforcers were normally too intimidated to go into Akusho in any official capacity at all. There had been a few punitive incursions into Akusho over the centuries and those had been by multiple legions but nowadays, spare legions were hard to come by and no one in Akusho, the team at Bletchley Park included, wanted to give any incentive to the government to find the troops required to conduct a 'Spring Cleaning' In the narrow streets of Akusho, even a troop equipped with modern weapons could find itself cut off and trapped by an enemy that was patient enough and ruthless enough. But now the need to respond to what had transpired at the palace meant bringing in more people and running the risk of possible exposure.

Harrington was not worried about Willis and Jansen. The two affable Air Force officers and their equipment wouldn't likely cause much trouble, although stories in their involvement in the killing of the Fire Dragon had gotten out into the local rumor mill and there was, even among all the chaos and work to be done following the earthquake, at least one of their girls had loudly and firmly announced her intention to have them before they left Akusho. This brought a much-needed touch of amusement even, especially as the two skinny officers still volunteered what time they had to join in search and rescue parties and clearing debris alongside everyone else. But soon, additional Special Forces troops would be arriving and there was a risk that their activities could possibly be tracked back to Akusho and if that happened, a great many people would be made to pay for it.

Personally, Captain Harrington had advised that only his people should operate in Akusho and he would have preferred to wait until the city calmed down a bit but he was informed that other teams would need access to the Akusho safehouse.

"Sorry Captain," Lieutenant Nash apologized. "We've got a list of names and they want us knocking on doors as soon as possible, 'Operation Spartacus' begins tonight."

"Let's hope it goes off better than the original."

* * *

 **Italica**

In a makeshift hospital, the casualties of the earthquake from Italica and some from neighboring communities were treated and cared for under the watchful eye of Henry Blake and his hastily assembled collection of doctors, nurses, healers, and other volunteers. Colonel Blake and Captain Newsome had been joined by Captain Pak and Captain Ho, giving at least a little respite to the two weary surgeons. As was the case with the search and rescue parties, there was no shortage of volunteers to help out. Again, many Inferni stepped forward and took instruction on how to dress wounds or volunteered to cook, clean, empty bedpans or anything else required. Many of them saw this as a chance to show that they were more than a group to be tolerated but actually as valuable members of the community. As it was, the Church Mother and the High Lady of Clans both worked with Colonel Blake and Countess Myui to make the hospital the center of all relief activities, such as when an Inferni teacher named Grace led the orphan charges under her care to take shelter there, keeping especially close to a young Wolfboy she would later reveal was born with a hearing loss as she spoke to the boy she called Peter, through hand signals and helped keep him and the other children calm.

The merchant, Lyudo, led the city's merchant cartels in offering his wagons as ambulances. Even some among the convicts of Italica distinguished themselves working to clear rubble as the search for survivors continued.

Tired from hours of digging, the members of 'House Taylor' as some called it, paid a visit to the recovery wards to see the to women, Abigail and Kas, whom they had rescued. It was a welcome respite, especially for Taylor and Panache, who now waited for news from other hamlets in the area. They were escorted by Corporal Klinger, who glanced around as Panache and the others formed a veritable box around Taylor.

"Here we are, sir. They insisted on having cots next to each other. I guess this sort of thing if it don't tear folks apart, it really brings 'em together."

"I think you're right, Corporal. Thank you," Taylor nodded. They needed this. The Inferni girl, Abigail looked up and gently roused her comrade. Strangely as the Thraken looked up at him, her eyes showed no sign of familiarity even though she had spoken to him. Also, the eyes looked different, somehow. They were still a violet hue but the electrical fire he had seen in them before was absent. Though certainly the conditions at the time probably affected her memory and his recollection as well.

"Hello again," He told them. "We're happy to meet the two of you under better circumstances than the first time."

"Have we met before?" The Thraken asked, looking at them. The local rumor mill had been quite thorough in describing Lord Itami and Lord Taylor and words of their more recent exploits had painted them as larger than life figures. Of course, if this was Taylor, then his companions were his ladies, led by the Knight, Lady Panache. It was a thrilling and also an intimidating moment.

"I'm sure the light makes things look a little different here than down under that building," Taylor replied. The girls' eyes widened at this. "We just wanted to make sure you were alright."

"And you have."

Taylor turned to Aurelia as she spoke. Except that the Bunny Girl had an odd smile, the smile of someone who knew a secret and her eyes, normally a dazzling green now had that same electrical spark that the Thraken girl's eyes had earlier.

'Aurelia' held up a hand. "Peace. I mean no threat or harm to you or Aurelia."

"Who are you?" Nayu demanded, warily.

"I am Miritta," she said simply.

"Goddess!" the Thraken girl exclaimed, She started to rise but a hand from Miritta stopped her.

"Rest, my faithful Kas. You have been so faithful to me. I wish to be here for you." She turned to Taylor and Panache. "I cannot inhabit this body for long or it would be harmful to Aurelia. As I said, I do not wish that. What I wish is to grant you my favor in return for saving Kas and Abigail."

"You're welcome," Taylor answered as if that was all.

Miritta let out the smallest shy smile that seemed out of place yet absolutely adorable on Aurelia. "I am afraid that my offering of this boon is not simply a matter of gratitude, though I am very grateful. Kas has been very devoted in my service and Abigail's people have been quite generous to my followers. I wish to grant both of them a boon Your people are strong and many and they could offer sanctuary to both the Inferni, who have been friends of my temple, and to the followers of my true temple. Further, you are becoming known in this world. Yourself and Lord Itami: Your deeds speak well of you and with the blessings of the gods, your lands will prosper. I will give Kas to serve your House as Guardian and as my representative. I ask that with your blessing, Kas will build a temple, the sign that My believers will be welcome in your lands. And again, that the Inferni will know sanctuary in your lands. If you were to allow this, I will be able to reward both Kas and Abigail as they deserve and I will in exchange promise your tree will be strong and fruitful."

Panache frowned. "What about Aurelia?"

"I offer my blessings to all of your House."

"My Dearest," Aenaire said. "It would be wise to accept her offer."

Panache looked at Nayu and they both nodded. "It is a small cost. The favor of one of the gods of Falmart is not to be lightly spurned," Nayu told Taylor.

"If I recall, it was Miritta who supposedly cursed an entire company back at Alnus," Taylor observed.

The goddess shook her head. "They violated the sanctuary of my temple. Well… what was supposed to be my temple. Even if they had been led astray, they were still mine to protect and I did release those men as soon as their Captain apologized," Miritta pointed out.

Taylor rubbed his eyes and looked at Kas and Abigail. "Well, I suppose I should ask what the two of you think about all this?"

"Meritta is most kind and generous!" Kas replied. "I will gladly serve her wishes and will serve your House well."

Abigail smiled. "God's will is kind."

Taylor thought the terms were not unreasonable. At least no one was wanting him to sign a marriage agreement. He admitted that Kas and Abigail were both attractive but he thought he had his hands full with four. "Not to complain too much but why not Itami?" While Itami had not yet managed to hook up with any titles or estates granted outside of the Uial and the great wealth given to him in the form of the 'Dragon Seed' was currently more theoretical than practical, any groups declared under his protection could also be assumed to be under _Rory's_ protection as well.

"Well… Rory is just a little scary…" Miritta admitted.

* * *

 **25,000 Feet Above Sadera**

Flying nearly five miles above the surface of Janus, some twelve-thousand feet above where a human pilot would require oxygen, 'Lil Rory' orbited the city, awaiting instructions from its handlers, who were monitoring the flight from a warehouse in Akusho. The MQ-9 Reaper drone with an apostle approved drawing of Rory Mercury, herself, sitting with a smirk atop the head of a dead dragon painted on its side was cruising far above the visual limits of ground-based lookouts as Captain Wilis and Lieutenant Jansen awaited word to commence their attack runs.

They had carried out two practice runs tonight but now the word had come down: "Commence Lancaster". At this, the operators banked their craft slightly to the east, towards the Imperial Senate building. This was the primary target. The strike on the Senate had to be carried out first for, If for any reason, the mission were interrupted or had to be aborted, the message to the Imperial Senate HAD to be delivered. To make the Allies meaning perfectly clear, two 500 pound GBU-12 Paveway bombs had been selected. These laser-guided weapons carried the warhead from the Mark 82 Mod 7 fragmentation bomb. There was no need for an explosive charge, the spray of shrapnel across the Forum would be more than sufficient without risking destroying the entire building or possibly starting an uncontrollable fire. Of course, there was more at stake than altruism: An out of control fire could be blamed on a thousand unrelated causes. This message had to be unmistakable. These bombs were designed to penetrate bunkers and lightly armored vehicles and would make a clear demonstration that the Allies could wipe out the entire Senate in a heartbeat if they chose. 'Lil Rory' descended gradually as Willis and Jansen lined up their attack run.

"Course steady."

"Targeting laser locked."

"Bombs armed and ready."

"Launch!"

"Bombs away!"

The technicians watched as the onboard low light camera tracked the bombs for thirty-eight seconds until they impacted, slicing through the dome of the Senate, both impacting within ten feet of the center of the forum. The fragmentation warheads detonated, throwing hot shrapnel across the Forum. The building itself would be habitable and repairable but the reminders of this night would long linger.

But this was only half of the night's deliveries. The second was intended as a much more personal slap against His Imperial Highness, Prince Zorzal. Here was a man who seemed personally inclined to war… Provided that he was safe from harm. Tonight, the Allied governments wanted to drive home the point that he was far from untouchable. In the files that Janus Theater Intelligence had assembled from interviews with detainees and prisoners as well as agents and direct observations, it was noted that after his successful campaign against the Warrior Bunnies, Zorzal had commissioned two very impressive statues of himself mounted on horseback and wearing a conqueror's laurels. Tonight, Zorzal was going to lose his heads. For this, one R9X missile had been allotted for each statue. The R9X was a special non-explosive missile designed in environments where a desired target was precipitously close to innocents. Dubbed the 'Flying Ginsu', the R9X was equipped with six metal blades designed to spring out and lock into position just before impact, creating a kinetic kill weapon whose area of effect could be limited to the length of its blades.

With the successful strike on the Forum completed, 'Lil Rory' turned towards Prince Zorzal's palace and the operators prepared for the first of two attack runs.

"Left or right?"

"Take the right one first."

"Roger that. First right and the other will be left."

"Not for long… Anyway, descending into our run. Stand by for targeting lock."

"Locking on now."

Launch three."

"Three's away. Running true." After sixteen seconds, the missile, plunging downward, struck its target. The head of the statue was shattered into tiny pieces.

"Now the other one."

"Roger that… What a way to lose one's head."

"You didn't just say that. Alright, here we go. One last time."

"Target acquired."

"Launch four."

"Four's away… Looks like we were a little off."

"Did we miss?"

"No. still a clean decapitation I think. One more pass for verification?"

"I'm on it… Yep. The heads are rolling tonight." The video showed that while the aim was just the slightest bit behind, causing the missile to shatter most of the statue like a divine hammer, one of the blades had clipped the statue's head, severing it cleanly.

"She came, she saw, and she reaped. 'Lil Rory', returning to base."

* * *

 **The Imperial Senate, The Following Afternoon**

In the morning following the bombing, it was announced to the people that the Imperial Forum had been damaged as a result of further after shakes from the Great Earthshake as it was now being called. Not that much of the public cared. Their own immediate problems were much more pressing on their attention. In the meantime, Her Imperial Highness, Princess Pina, with the tacit approval of the Emperor, had taken steps to deal with the growing crisis in the quake-ravaged Capital. Her first order was to activate the Company of the Blue Rose. Though still in training, Pina believed they were up to the tasks she had planned for them. In calling upon them to meet the current crisis, it would be a learning experience like nothing their instructors could possibly give them. With her experienced knight currently needed either in Italica or protecting the Jade Palace, Pina, based upon the recommendation of the instructors, appointed a promising young woman of seventeen years named Amaretto to be the acting commander of the Blue Rose. Pina assigned half of the available instructors to advise Amaretto and the other senior students while the other instructors were directed to begin assembling the next class, for the moment to be designated as the Company of the Pink Rose.

The Company of the Blue Rose was charged with getting the main streets of the city cleared and opened to allow for food and other aid to be brought into ruined neighborhoods, aid that would soon be coming as Pina did not wait for the Senate before ordering Hamilton to buy up whatever wheat and whatever other food that could be had to be brought into the devastated city. She had gone further, however, and upon the advice of one of her old tutors, a man named Kasmiz, she contacted Lord Cicero and other members of the Senate's 'Peace Faction' and outlined her ideas for city relief and encouraged them to come forward and offer whatever they could, be it money, manpower, equipment or supplies to help in relieving the city. Several of them were able to offer up contingents of their own retainers who would aid the City Guard in curbing lawlessness in the streets. Cicero had gone further, using his contacts to arrange for several mercenary companies to assemble just outside the city's boundaries, should they be needed to suppress any mass violence that might erupt amid the chaos. This had the added advantage of making these men unavailable to be hired by individuals possibly with _other_ aims.

Pina understood that danger of a coup or an uprising was a real possibility. The danger came from two possible sources: Genuinely terrified people who even now wanted to know 'Who had so offended which of the Gods' into striking out against them with such anger and violence.' and 'Whose head do we give the Gods in begging for their mercy.' Pina wasn't sure about the gods but she was fairly confident most of the temples would prefer to help calm the people although they would surely attempt to suggest that additional tithings might help the gods to look more favorably upon everyone. Most of the temples were, after all, as invested in the same system as anyone else… With the exception of a few odd cults and splinter temples of course. Though some people were actively looking at the state of the temples themselves, perhaps wondering if a War among the Gods' was at hand and trying to figure out which Gods had the edge.

This threat was diffuse and therefore unlikely to materialize unless it found a specific agreed-upon culprit to blame for the people's ills. There were a couple she might be willing to toss to the mob for their arrogance and blind stupidity but while the satisfaction would be immense, it would also be temporary as a mob, once started, did not sate at a mere couple of heads.

The other threat was more dangerous: That an existing individual or group already desiring to overturn the state might take advantage of the current situation to incite an uprising. Pina had no intention of allowing such an opportunity to present itself.

There were other measures which needed to be taken. All the available manpower that could be organized was needed to combat the fires burning in the city. Also, Pina intended to visit the Way of the Gods and speak to the heads of the Temples to see what help they could be persuaded to offer. But first, in the aftermath of the attack on the Forum during the night, the Senate had hurried into emergency session. It was odd, Pina thought, that when the rest of the Capital was in peril, the majority of the Senators were content to take their time and 'not act with unseeming hurry' but when they felt a threat to their own necks, the Senators had rushed to convene. It was a lesson that she would not forget: That while there were Great Men among the Senate, there were far more small men who would gladly sacrifice anyone so they could keep their _now perforated_ seats.

Pina watched as Marquis Casel took to the floor to speak. While he faced Emperor Molt, the Senator's target was another person seated up in the gallery. Zorzal's face was still bandaged and swollen after the vicious beating he had received at the hands of Sergeant Kuribayashi. The anger from his humiliation still clearly burned, now stoked even higher by the destruction of his triumphal statues that stood outside his palace. While Zorzal did not know _how_ the barbarians had carried out their cowardly attack, he was certain they were responsible somehow.

Personally, Pina would have agreed with him. He had enraged the Japanese officials greatly with his treatment of Noriko. They clearly intended for him the same message they had just sent these Senators: That Japan and her Allies considered the persons of their citizens sacrosanct and that they would punish whoever stood in the way of recovering their people.

Of course, this was not something the average citizen in the street could be expected to understand so it was not surprising when Pina's aide, Shandy reported that a rumor was circulating that the Crown Prince had offended Palapon, the God of Vengeance. In the days ahead, Pina's sister Claudia would pay a considerable tithing to Palapon's temple to not refute this rumor.

"I have a question, Your Majesty," Casel began, "According to Lord Cicero, the Japanese emissary and their allies have offered to make peace and even held several meetings. If that is the case, then how do you explain this!" He gestured to one of the pillars where chunks of steel were still embedded in it, and then to the hole in the dome of the Forum. "Why did they attack this place, the center of our government and its laws?"

Molt remained silent. Frankly, he was quite tired of all this.

"If you will not answer, Your Majesty," Casel said after a moment. "Then I will. It all started with those people we captured from the other side of the Gate." Now, the Senator DID throw a scathing glance at Zorzal. "The moment they found out about it, they beat Prince Zorzal. Why is that?"

To her dismay, Pina saw that many in the Senate seemed confused and puzzled at this, with some actually expressing their disbelief at this. Pina rose from her seat and stepped toward Marquis Casel. But it was to the Senate at large she addressed her response to.

"The reasoning is so obvious that a blind man could see the answer and the deaf could hear it and recognize its truth," she said in a scathing tone. "Have we become so arrogant and blind that we cannot recognize those same qualities we praise in ourselves in others? Do we believe that we, alone, are capable of pride in our people, alone in valuing loyalty to our own? Do we believe that others will not respond if we strike at their land and their people just as WE have always done when outsiders threaten the security of our nation?" Many Senators flinched as if flailed by her words. She spared them not, for it was past time to stop playing games.

"Of course, we do! We have always ignored the pride of others. The Empire has always enjoyed the power and privilege to disregard the wishes of our neighbors and their feelings. Now, we are face to face with a people that are strong enough to demonstrate their resolve that their demands be heard. They will not conveniently go away so we may enjoy a blissful ignorance. As we would demand of any who dared make slaves of the citizens of Our own Empire so Japan and her Allies now demand of us. The only difference is that they are willing to offer us a choice: To live in peace and gain from their knowledge or fight them and bring the avalanche upon us!"

Seated among the Senators, Septimus Del Marus sat considering the Princess's words. It was obvious that Her Highness, though speaking from conviction, was truly naive. War did not allow for enemies to show compassion. The nation that failed to destroy its enemies when it could, would inevitably be destroyed by them given time. It was a fundamental truth. So if Japan wanted peace, then they had a reason. The Senator did not know if that reason was that they wanted to keep the Empire intact as a slave state or perhaps THEY had other enemies? Was that it? Did these off-worlders propose Peace because they had other, more dangerous foes elsewhere? Whatever the reason, Septimus thought it might be possible to wait the invaders out. While not as thrilling as the stories of the Empire's Heroes from ages past, it was better than seeing his son become a slave, himself. He had much to consider.

What Septimus did not consider and what would have given him grave worry was that the eyes of Prince Zorzal were now upon him. It would have disturbed the Senator greatly what thoughts were going on behind those eyes. Nor did he know that past sins would soon demand a reckoning.

* * *

 **Villa of Cassius Sol Verras**

The smoke could be seen for miles. The estate of a prosperous slave-dealer had been reduced to stone and ashes. It would be a perplexing sight that greeted the local patrol when they came to property was found to be abandoned. No dogs or horses or wagons. No slaves were found in the pens, even though Verras normally had a couple of score even when his inventory was low. The family and servants were all missing The only bodies found were those of some of Verras' henchmen and his private soldiers that he employed. Most of them apparently killed by an expert hand, a single slash across the throat.

There was no evidence of a slave revolt. If there had, there clearly should have been slaves among the dead or signs of wounded. There were just the few found dead and those that were missing.

One body that was found was different from all the others. The hulking former centurion who served as Verras' foreman was found dead under a tree, a dagger driven deep into his ribs, obviously by someone very strong. This was further perplexing because although a slave might harbor such hate, any slave strong enough for this would likely have been sold off to the mines fairly quickly. The Imperial silver mines at Argentus always needed strong labor and the Empire always needed silver. Especially now.

What was much more worrisome was the note found pinned to the tree above the body. Written recognizably in both Popularii and in the High Tongue was a warning:

 **We are Spartacus.**


	51. A Great Hero and the Legend of Papa Bear

**This is just a sweet little side piece that came up.**

 **A Great Man, A Hero, And the Legend of Papa Bear**

 **The City of Italica, Three months after the Earthquake:**

It had taken entirely too long to get here, the large man thought as the Mercedes followed the leading Hummvee of his escort detail. It wasn't every day that a self-made millionaire and his chief accountant opted to take a trip across the GATE. Getting permission from all the bureaucracies involved had been a nightmare but finally, they were here. Having spent three days in Alnus, getting to meet the locals had been an eye-opener. He had left one of his managers behind to start planning the company's first off-world expansion. Technically it was _any_ company's first off-world expansion as Wilhelm pointed out. It could also be his company's salvation in an age when online shopping had combined with mismanagement to destroy larger companies. This was far from his mind; however, as his main impetus for coming here was in the letters written by his youngest son, Willie, who was a lieutenant in the Pioneers. Fortunately, Willie still had the same slim and muscular shape his father now only recalled in memories and old photos. Of course, that had been before marriage and his wife's superlative cooking had entered the picture. He knew it wasn't the healthiest way to live but he couldn't say he hadn't enjoyed it! But the point was that Willie was serving as an engineer as part of the German contingent of the Janus Expedition and his letters had been very detailed.

Of course, evidence from those letters _also_ suggested Willie had fallen very much in love with a local girl, a teacher, as he recalled. _Grace... A lovely name. Though I wonder just how his mother will feel. She did always want him to find a nice Lutheran girl to marry._ He mentally shrugged. Everything would work out. For the moment, he waited as a young woman dressed in honest to goodness _plate armor_ motioned them through the city gate. Perhaps he ought to inquire if she would mind her likeness being cast in one-eighth scale. He always had an eye for a good idea. It was one of the reasons the Schatze Toy Company was still in business. That and the fact that he was still the sole owner of the company. He had no board of investors to please. The only focus groups he cared about were the children who played with his toys. And that was the real reason his son had asked him to come. For Hans Schultz, nothing was more important than the children and the children in this world, Willie believed, could use the sort of joy that his father so loved to bring. Willie had once bragged to his peers that the only difference between his father and Santa Claus was that Hans Schultz was on the job a full 365 days a year.

Being so successful allowed Hans to do things like taking whole truckloads of toys to children who would probably never see one of his stores just for the smiles. There was also a refrigerated truck carrying the highest quality candies... At least the things that the experts deemed safe since Willie had warned his father that many of Grace's charges were of races other than normal earth-type humans. Hans bet that they smiled all the same.

Of course, the elder Schultz had timed his visit so that he would be able to see his son. Willie enthusiastically hugged his father. For his part Hans laughed, patting his youngest on the arm.

"So now where is this young lady of yours?"

Willie smiled, taking the hand of a young inferni woman. She was a tiny thing, especially compared to the elder Schultz. Her pink hair done up stylishly with blue and white flowers in her hair. Her horns tastefully accessorized with black and white ribbons and she wore a lovely black and red dress that matched her delicate-looking wings. Her rose-colored eyes reflected a shy smile.

"Ah! You are Grace?" You are every bit as lovely as Willie has written! Willie tells me you are a teacher and that you care for the children who have no families of their own?"

"Yes," Grace replied." She gathered her children around, a little wolf-boy holding onto her protectively.

Hans noticed him and waved. "And who is this?"

"We call him Amadeus, Father," Willie put in.

"Amadeus! Ah! a fine name! For a moment, I was afraid you were going to tell me he was named Wolfie, like your cousin!"

Willie smiled and then introduced Countess Myui, whom Hans thought was probably one of the prettiest little girls in God's creation.

"My Lady." Hans addressed her properly. His family had a long tradition of being Imperialists. "I wonder if you have time to join us and all the little ones... No... EVERYBODY... Please gather! I would tell you a story!"

Willie grinned. Telling stories was where his father was at his absolute best. With a look of curiosity, the Countess took a seat as Grace's charges and many others gathered around.

"Normally, I would tell you a tale of a great German hero. Such as Siegfried, who fought a MONSTEROUS dragon!" Schultz's hands became expressive as he emphasized the size of the beast. His eyes going wide. But today I will tell you of an _American_ hero. A great man who was one of their greatest leaders. His name was Theodore Roosevelt. Not only was he one of their great leaders, but he was also a MIGHTY hunter. But he also believed in fair play and good sportsmanship! One day, as he was on one of his many travels, people organized a great hunt for him! They were going to hunt BEARS! The biggest, most powerful beasts. They could run fast as a horse and stand bigger than a man!" Hans stood up like a lumbering bear himself.

"As other hunters killed many of the beasts, Roosevelt had yet to catch one. The people, fearing he would be disappointed, determined they would bring him a bear to kill. They found one and cornered it with dogs, they wounded it and men tied it to a tree so it could not get away. Proud of themselves, they brought the great man to where they had tied the bear and told him to kill it!"

Hans waggled a finger. "But Roosevelt was NOT happy. He was NOT pleased AT ALL! For he could see the bear was in great pain and undoubtedly very frightened. This was no contest of hunter and beast! No! He said that no hunter worth his name would take pride in killing such a wounded and helpless creature! He had hunted and slain a great many things in his days but there had to be a challenge. This was death for death's sake. He would have no part in it." Schultz nodded to Wilhelm, who passed a stuffed bear to him.

"To celebrate the Great Roosevelt's compassion for life, we now have Teddy Bears." He passed the one in his hands to Amadeus, who clutched it like a treasure. "They will always be truest of friends. And, unlike real bears, they also give very good hugs. This is important."

Soon, he, Wilhelm, and Willie were all passing out Teddy Bears. Many of them were dressed in uniforms like those the alliance soldiers wore, so as to reinforce the image of the Allied soldiers as friends. Finally, Hans noticed Countess Myui still sitting, looking much like a child wishing she could play like the others but remembering that she was Countess Formar. Being like other children was one thing she could not be.

Hans took one particular bear and, nodding to Kaine and Mamina, presented it to Myui. The bear wore what was still called a 'Bomber jacket ' with the insignia of a colonel. "This one is very important. Like you, he is VERY most important! He will guide all the other bears in these walls as they watch over the children of this city. This one knows how to keep a secret, and will always be there when you need him."

Myui looked at the bear appraisingly, something like the ghost of a smile on her face as she finally allowed herself to hug the stuffed toy.

"Yes, this one is very special. This one. This is Papa Bear."

 **A/N: Any liberties taken in Schultz's telling of Roosevelt's encounter with the original 'Teddy Bear' are strictly the result of Schultz using poetic license.**


	52. Chapter 37: Reverberations

**A/N: Though the story of "Papa Bear" takes place three months after the Great Quake, this next chapter returns us to the immediate aftermath of the Quake.**

 **As always, Constructive Reviews are always welcome.**

 **Chapter 37: Reverberations**

 **Palace of Prince Zorzal El Caesar**

The Chamberlain was annoyed. Though he knew he should not allow his emotions to affect how he spoke to his Prince, it was his duty to remind His Highness that certain things were unbecoming of the next Emperor. He took the Prince's robe off the chair where it had been draped and pointedly presented it to Zorzal.

"Your Highness. Your guests are assembled and waiting."

"Yes, yes," Zorzal waved him off as he rose from atop Cassiopeia somewhat annoyed at having been interrupted. His body still ached and his face was still extremely sore and thank the gods that the new cook had been able to fix a palatable meal that didn't send him into agony with every mouthful. But Cassiopeia had been wonderfully skilled in bed, pleasing him in ways he had never considered and all the while revering him as she should. He knew the skill was hers but he never felt more powerful.

And this self-important functionary had completely spoiled the mood. And yet the Chamberlain was not done.

"Honestly, sire! Sullying yourself with a beast-girl!"

"I'm open-minded, Quirus. You should try it sometime."

Quirus looked disgusted. "What would the Senate and the people think if you sired by this… beast?"

Cassiopeia now got up and snatched hold of the man by his collar, sharp fangs showing as she advanced on him. "If I should be blessed by the gods to bear the child of the next Emperor, the Senate and the people should rejoice! For, whomever his mother would be, his father would be the greatest of all men! And THAT alone would make him, the Son of your next Emperor, far greater than a groveling PIG like you could ever be!"

"Cassiopeia," Zorzal said mildly, nodding for her to release Quirus. Still, even as she obeyed, he admitted to taking enjoyment at watching the Chamberlain's look of fear. Cassiopeia was quite correct. The son of the Emperor should automatically command respect, no matter what his bloodline. It was time some of these people learned their place.

Cassiopeia released Quirus. "You should kneel in thanks to his Greatness that he did not let me rip out your tongue." Quirus glanced nervously at the Prince. He decided not to chance his lord's temper and bowed low.

"Thank you for your mercy. I apologize for my words, Your Highness."

Zorzal smiled and straightened him up, clearly amused. "All is forgiven, loyal Quirus." He patted him on the arm. "Just remember that when you speak to her, you speak to me. Remember that and everything will be well!"

"Y.. yes my lord!"

Zorzal smiled and glanced at Cassiopeia. "Tell me, have you attended to the other matter I told you to take care of?"

"Yes my lord," the Chamberlain replied. "The Senator's wife and son are in the parlor."

"Good!" Zorzal replied, turning to Cassiopeia. "It seems we each have business to attend. I do hope we can rekindle the mood later this evening," he remarked as he dressed.

"As my Lord wills," she answered. Then after Zorzal and Quirus had departed for his private meeting room, she readied herself and headed for the parlor where she was looking forward to a family reunion.

 **Fort Defiance, Alnus**

It had been an eventful return for Youji Itami as the helicopter carrying half of his team, along with Yao, Noriko, and Tyuule landed back at Alnus. Kurokawa was needed to see to Noriko and Tyuule's injuries and hopefully, between her and Kuribayashi, provide a couple of comforting female faces. The rest of Third Recon was still in Akusho, helping dig out from the earthquake. They would be released once Alnus was able to slip in additional manpower to help out. Rory, Lelei, and Tuka were waiting for him. So was Yanagida.

"You can't stay out of trouble, can you Itami? Seriously? You instigated a shootout in the Imperial Palace?" It was not a question. "You've put the General in a difficult position."

"I didn't mean to cause a problem." He bowed his head in the direction of Hazama's office. "I am so sorry, Lieutenant General!" He then looked at Yanagida. "But I couldn't leave her there."

"Of course not," Yanagida agreed. "The problem is that there are still going to be people who will think you should have said please and thank you, instead of ordering your Sergeant to beat up the Crown Prince." His glance at Shino was rewarded with a defiant smirk.

 _If anything, I went too easy on the bastard! But breaking his larynx wasn't an option._

"So, what's going to happen?" Itami asked.

"Well, the government is using the successful rescue of a Japanese citizen to raise their approval ratings, so they can't punish you. But… UN observers AND a pool of journalists are going to be arriving tomorrow. You will be giving an interview with a handful of carefully selected reporters. Then you and your people are going to be leaving on an extended mission."

"Doing what?"

"First, you'll help escort King Duran back to his Capital. The King of the Elbe has signed a separate peace with us. We've asked him to speak with leaders of some of the other smaller states."

"What else did we ask for?" Itami wondered uneasily.

"It's not like these people will miss any oil or rare earths," Yanagida said with a slightly defensive edge. "Japan needs those kinds of resources."

"And what do the Americans think of that?"

Yanagida frowned. "We haven't officially discussed it." He had fairly effectively maneuvered Duran over a barrel about it, hoping to present the General with a verbal fait accompli, only for Hazama to sternly remind his aide of the potential ramifications of making little private deals without either the consent of the Diet, the Foreign Ministry, or proper consultation of their allies… Especially allies that were literally down the hall. It had been a thorough rebuking that still stung.

"Ah," Itami said simply.

"At any rate, once you've returned Duran to his throne, you are going to do some exploring. You will naturally keep us apprised of your whereabouts. You will report on anything of possible interest. You will be FAR AWAY from the diplomats and the media, and you will stay out of trouble."

Itami sighed. It wasn't like he went looking for trouble. _Trouble_ just always seemed to find _him_.

"You should also take them with you," Yanagida jerked a thumb at Lelei, Rory, and Tuka. "They've already caused enough of a stir in the media."

Rory giggled at that. Still, having Itami out in her world for a bit would be a nice change of pace for a bit.

Itami frowned. He was a bit concerned about Tuka. She had only just had her first session with Doctor Freedman. He didn't want to take her out too soon. "We'll see."

Yanagida shrugged. "One other thing," He cast his voice low. "About Miss Mochizuki… Don't tell her this but we believe her family may have been killed in Ginza."

"Oh?"

"She and her boyfriend went missing some weeks earlier. We now assume they were abducted as part of an early attempt to probe our side. Her parents and her brother were seen in Ginza that day passing out missing persons fliers."

"Are they confirmed dead?"

"Their bodies were never identified but…"

"I see."

"At any rate, we need to debrief her and the other slave you liberated as soon as possible. Take them over to the Hospital and get them checked out. We'll send over someone to debrief them later."

"Right," Itami acknowledged. "Anything else?"

"Sergeant Kuribayashi!" Yanagida directed.

"Hai?"

"Your sister is on the list of journalists arriving tomorrow. It would be advisable for you to meet with her and help her form the proper opinions of the JSDF and its mission."

Shino started to object but forced herself to remain silent. Nanami was a professional and prided herself on being fair and open-minded. She would undoubtedly resent any attempt to manipulate her reporting. But saying that to Yanagida would only cause problems for both Shino and Nanami.

"Yes, sir. I will make sure she understands everything clearly."

"Good," Yanagida nodded. "Well, again, welcome back, Itami. While it lasts."

 **Meeting Room of Prince Zorzal**

As promised, Zorzal's guests were all waiting for him to arrive. These men represented powerful elements in Saderan Society and a way of life that was now under threat.

"I am glad to see all of you," Zorzal said, glancing around the room. There were those who said that the Crown Prince lacked skill in oratory and while it was true that he tended to be poor at debating, he was quite good at rhetoric. Especially when he had time to prepare his remarks. "Gentlemen… Everything we value is now in danger from the off-world barbarians and those who would fall on their knees either fearing or fawning upon them!" He looked around the room searching the expressions of his guests. "Unfortunately, both my beloved sister and even His Majesty himself are now prepared to throw away centuries of pride and dignity and faith in the gods and, indeed, in the very spirit of our people to kneel before the barbarians. If we do not act, then the Empire will be destroyed. Not by invaders from without! But by traitors from within!"

One of his guests, a slave trader who had supported Zorzal since the days of the Bunny Suppression leaned forward. "At least seven of my competitors have disappeared in the past few days. This 'Spartacus' thing has gotten the rest of us looking over our shoulders constantly. I can't do business if my buyers can't find me but I can't do business at all if I'm dead!"

"You see? Honest merchants living in fear," Zorzal looked to one of the Senators in the room. "And most of your colleagues are now willing to surrender to the cowards who are trying to undermine our society!"

"With no disrespect, your Highness," the senator answered. "Just what can we do?"

"We take back our country, noble Saderans," Zorzal replied. "Quietly, mind you or the sheep will panic. For a time we will pretend to bend to the barbarians. We need time."

"Certainly time to rebuild the army," another Senator noted sourly.

"Yes," Zorzal agreed. "But until we have fixed the Senate and until His Majesty finds his spirit again, we need our own army."

"This talk could be seen as treason," one man cautiously observed.

"Treason to save our beloved Empire? I think it would be treason not to act!" Zorzal replied. "But we act to protect the Imperial throne and all loyal Saderans. Remember that. In the meantime, we need fighting men."

"Mercenaries."

"Why not?" One of the merchants replied. "If we lose, these savages will take EVERYTHING we've worked to build! I, for one, am not going to be judged by barbarians and have everything taken from me without a fight!"

Zorzal nodded. "And of course, the Empire SHOULD reward those who have acted to save it. Just as those who so spinelessly sell us into bondage to these off-worlders should reap the price of betrayal."

Senator Septimus Del Marus looked uneasy. While he agreed that action needed to be taken, he was very concerned at the very open implications and threats to Saderan liberties. He suppressed a sigh. Just by accepting His Highness's invitation to be here, Septimus had already chosen his devil. "And what shall we in the Senate do?"

Zorzal smiled. "We will allow the negotiations to proceed. You need only follow along while voicing your understandable concern for the morale and dignity of the Empire and her people. In time, we will sway the rest of the Senate to see reason." He then eyed each of them in turn. "It is true that for the moment, we stand alone. His Majesty has become tired with the weight of rule. While I hate to even think it, let alone speak it, the fire and strength have faded from his eyes. His nerve is failing and his mind riddled with doubts. It is a question whether he can continue in such a broken state." He shook his head. "My beloved sister, Pina… We all know she has always been impressionable and, gods be praised, she has a soft heart, which is as a woman should be. But that has made her vulnerable to the lies of our enemies. I fear they will use her as a pawn. The Barbarians might even try to force her onto our father's throne where they will undoubtedly manipulate her. My own brother, Diablo… He is a man of clever words but not of deeds. I hope he will see reason and stand with us but I fear I cannot trust him. You Senators know that he is marked with ambition. He has been attempting to get himself named our Father's successor. "We cannot take a chance he will not act on his ambitions while we are beset by crisis."

Of course, this was political show, mainly for the politicians in the room. The merchants were already well and truly wed to Zorzal's cause. He knew he could squeeze them hard for money and resources. When caught between the possibility of a rich return AND political power or being killed or simply stripped of everything, they would gladly serve his plans. On the other hand, some of the politicians still pretended to have moral scruples that he needed to soothe.

"The Empire has never faced a crisis quite like this. We will have to resort to methods which may make some… uncomfortable. But if we fail, then I think you all can plainly see our beloved Empire will be broken and enslaved. Our children poisoned against their own heritage by the Barbarians. Stand with me and you will be hailed a thousand years hence! Fail me… Fail the Empire… and fall into dust."

 **Parlor Room of Prince Zorzal El Caesar**

Vendetta had long wondered how she would feel about meeting her father's family. His _acknowledged_ family, that was. She found that she was curious more than anything else. Certainly, she felt no animosity toward either her father's legal wife or their son. If anything, she wanted to know them. A rather lovely human woman with honey blonde hair and a slightly built boy with auburn hair. Funny that it was nearly the same as her own. The boy's mother seemed to be a little intimidated by the guards and spoke in a soft, tentative voice. _How much like my own mother,_ Vendetta thought The boy, _His name is Hadrian_ , she remembered, stood slightly protective of his mother but at the same time nervous himself. Vendetta looked at the guards in the room and dismissed them.

"I'm certain you have questions. I'll have some refreshment brought up for us. We have much in common. First, though, please allow me to introduce my mother, Andromeda."

Hadrian looked up as a much timider Vulpine woman entered the room. He glanced back at his own mother and then to the newcomer. Vendetta nodded. He had seen it too. Apparently, even if it wasn't strictly human, their father had a 'type'.

"Are you my sister?" Hadrian asked. Vendetta smiled. Her brother was very quick and perceptive.

"It is true. Your father, Septimus Del Marus also fathered me as well."

The boy's mother, Antonia began to look nervous. She considered outright denying what this girl was saying but in her heart, she knew it was the truth. Looking at Andromeda, the similarities were striking And their children… But why had they been summoned here? Were they here to be punished for her husband's choices. Other Senators had survived the scandal of having a 'mixed child'. It was rare, or at least she assumed it was, but it had happened. But Septimus had chosen to hide his past. Would his choices now come back to revenge themselves on her and her son?

Vendetta raised a hand for Antonia to pause. "I have no quarrel with you or my brother. It is clear that you see the truth the same as he does. I only find it tragic that we have not met before. Family should protect family and I would like us to be family." She looked at her brother and saw that even in his young mind, he was piecing things together. He would make a Great Senator one day, with the proper patronage.

"May I call you Hadrian?"

"Yes! What is your name?" He asked.

"It depends," she said mildly. "Most people call me Vendetta. These are the people that I have not given permission to use the name my mother gave me. My mother calls me Cassiopeia. I would be happy if you and your mother called me that." She tipped her head slightly to Hadrian's mother. "Lady Antonia, Brother… Please sit comfortably! We four have much to discuss!"

* * *

It was a bit later that Prince Zorzal informed Senator Marus that his wife and son were expecting him in the parlor. The Senator suppressed a sense of dread. Was Zorzal making a threat to assure he stayed in line? As he followed Zorzal's Chamberlain to the parlor, he did not expect to see his cast-off lover sitting and making polite conversation with his wife. It had been nearly twenty years but Andromeda had changed very little, except that some of the shine in her eyes had faded.

"Husband!" Antonia smiled the look of a cat who had finally caught the resident rat out of bounds. "I believe you've met Andromeda. It's simply amazing how much we have in common! Including bearing you a child."

His lips started to move but Antonia, driven by a fire which Andromeda could never dare, only glowered.

"Don't. Don't play us for fools." She looked to Andromeda and smiled encouragingly. "Andromeda is going to be a wonderful companion, I think! She's such a cultured woman. Thank you, dear. She's the sister I never had and Hadrian is also quite fond of his new Aunt and his sister."

Septimus noticed the critical look in his son's eyes even before his brain registered the fourth individual at the table. "Hello father," the young Vulpine woman said with a voice like steel wrapped in silk. "You have no idea how long I've waited for this day."

"Are you planning to hold my family hostage to make sure I behave myself?"

"Hardly," Vendetta said coldly. "Your arrangements with the Crown Prince are for you and him to handle. The fact that he finds me interesting merely allows me the privilege of meeting my brother and making certain I'm in a position to take care of my family. And I think Hadrian is going to go very far in this world."

"Oh!" Antonia remembered, her canines showing a bit. "You haven't been properly introduced." She glanced to the Vulpine girl with a dangerous twinkle in her eyes.

"Mother named me Cassiopeia. You can call me Vendetta..."

 **The Cerberus Tavern, Five Miles outside of Sadera**

Bouro poured himself a drink from the bottle of Spice Wine. The Cerberus was one of a number of businesses run by Haryo. It was a place where Bouro could take care of the dirty details of his operations without attracting undue attention. Unfortunately, many of his businesses in Akusho were unavailable after the earthshake. Peculiarly, he hadn't gotten much word at all out of Akusho since the quake. No… To be honest, it had been weeks. Recruitment had dropped off and his contacts in the local underworld were telling him nothing. He suspected they were up to something but even if they were, it wasn't like his entire power base was in Akusho. It made for convenient recruiting and it was a place where shadowy dealing could go on without Imperial interference but Bouro had his claws in the underbelly of every city in the Empire. The situation in Akusho would sort itself out in time or once things calmed down, the new Emperor might just have to send in the Legions. _Or simply burn the rats out,_ Bouro figured. He was certain that would be a popular move with the 'good citizens' of the Empire. It would also spur reactions in the slums of every city in Falmart. So, Bouro considered, if the residents of Akusho were up to something, then it would be a win-win for both himself and Zorzal to exterminate the scum.

But that was the concern of another day. Today he was planning a farewell for a 'friend'. His former 'partner' Tyuule was now a liability. His plan to put a Haryo on the Imperial Throne did not need the threat of any counter-claimants and unfortunately, that fool Zorzal had an urge to rut with any female he could get his hands on. Bouro wasn't concerned about the slaves still in Zorzal's palace. They were all where he could keep an eye on them and if necessary. Well, accidents happened. But Tyuule and Noriko were BOTH with the cursed enemies at Alnus. They were a complication to his plans, especially if Tyuule spilled her guts about their collaborations prior to her 'liberation'. Fortunately, it was fairly easy to use Zorzal's notorious temper to paint Tyuule and Noriko as having personally betrayed the Prince. Bouro then had to consider the best way to arrange for the two of them to die. There were a number of Warrior Bunnies who had sworn vengeance on Tyuule and through his tool in County Formar, Bouro knew of one well placed to carry out the job. Of course, getting Delilah to kill Tyuule would be as simple as pointing her at the target. Hatred would do the rest. The problem was that Delilah had no grudge against Noriko so that would require other motivation. Delilah was reported to be unswervingly loyal to the Countess of Formar. If Bouro could make it look like an order from the Countess… Or perhaps even someone above her?

Bouro smiled a cold, cruel smile. Of course, he had gotten silver from Zorzal to take care of the matter. Bouro would make sure the Prince's money was well spent!


End file.
